Essential oil of Cannabis sativa L: Comparison of yield and chemical composition of 11 hemp genotypes
In this 2021 journal article published in Molecules, Pieracci et al. present the results of a two-year analysis and comparison of cannabis constituents in the essential oil of 11 hemp genotypes using gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Noting prior researchers’ difficulties in comparing “the chemical composition of the essential oils extracted from different Cannabis sativa L. genotypes,” the researchers strived to conduct a thorough examination, demonstrating the ability of GC-MS methods to make the analyses necessary to determine most constituents, as well as “promote their employment as value-added by-products based on their peculiar characteristics.” Through their efforts, the researchers were able to identify 116 compounds, representing 90.6–99.4% of the total composition of the essential oils (EO) gathered. After analyzing their results, the authors concluded “that both the EO chemical profile and extraction yield were significantly influenced by the genotype of the starting material, the year of cultivation, and the interaction between these two factors.”
