mycotheologist
Hazard to Others
Posts: 154
Registered: 16-3-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Some chemistry nerd porn - List of plant compounds
http://www.chemfaces.com/compound/alkaloids.php
I really have to get myself a soxlet extractor.
|
|
|
White Yeti
National Hazard
Posts: 816
Registered: 20-7-2011
Location: Asperger's spectrum
Member Is Offline
Mood: delocalized
|
|
Good stuff. I'm actually working on a list of medicinal plants and their chemical constituents. I've made a list of about 800 species with medicinal
properties so far, and I'm not finished yet. Making such a list was so much easier for the fungi kingdom. Plants are so diverse, it's amazing. It's a
shame we're destroying their habitats at ever increasing rates.
"Ja, Kalzium, das ist alles!" -Otto Loewi
|
|
|
SulfurApothecary
Harmless
Posts: 37
Registered: 26-6-2012
Location: Boise
Member Is Offline
Mood: For science!
|
|
Nice, I will be actually testing some plant compounds on bacteria, I even got some pipets 
You can't arrest me, it was for science!
|
|
|
zoombafu
Hazard to Others
Posts: 255
Registered: 21-11-2011
Location: U.S.
Member Is Offline
Mood: sciencey
|
|
Thanks for the share! I'm very interested in extracted compounds from plants/fungi as well.
|
|
|
RonPaul2012
Hazard to Self
Posts: 89
Registered: 29-2-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
I also am interested in extracting compounds from plants ; I will favorite the link.
I am really amazed by the variety of plants that I find in the woods near where I work , I better not get involved too much , lest I become a botanist
I really need to get a soxhlet extractor.
Thanks mycotheologist
|
|
|
zoombafu
Hazard to Others
Posts: 255
Registered: 21-11-2011
Location: U.S.
Member Is Offline
Mood: sciencey
|
|
A soxhlet extractor isn't always necessary. Ive extracted many essential oils from plants with a steam distillation setup. Its pretty easy to use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_distillation
|
|
|
White Yeti
National Hazard
Posts: 816
Registered: 20-7-2011
Location: Asperger's spectrum
Member Is Offline
Mood: delocalized
|
|
I came across a video about extracting essential oils a while ago. It used a setup I've never seen before, but I thought it was really neat. This guy
uses a separatory funnel with a sidearm to collect the distillate. Skip to 1:50 for the set-up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDojS7PWWPY&feature=relat...
A soxhlet extractor is ideal only when the oil is not too volatile and not too fragile, since they will inevitably cycle back into the boiling flask.
It's especially useful when you have a limited quantity of plant matter that is very rich in oils.
On a separate and related note, I went for a hike last week and found some Indian pipes. They grow everywhere and it's quite a sight to behold, so I
took a few for myself. I didn't know quite how to deal with them, so I packaged and froze them. Does anyone know if drying these plants at room
temperature reduces their essential oil content?
Here's a picture:
According to this source:
http://www.ryandrum.com/threeherbs.htm#IndianPipe
Macerating these plants in a strong alcohol yields a tincture with soporific and healing properties. It's not a very authoritative source, but it
could be an interesting subject to look further into.
"Ja, Kalzium, das ist alles!" -Otto Loewi
|
|
|
zoombafu
Hazard to Others
Posts: 255
Registered: 21-11-2011
Location: U.S.
Member Is Offline
Mood: sciencey
|
|
This is something I've wondered about before, but I have never found an answer. When I have time Ill do some experiments. I'll go find some local
plants, pick a lot of them, then split the bunch in two. One Ill do an extraction of immediately, and the other I will let air dry and then do an
extraction. Then I will compare the results to find out if the dried plants have a lesser oil content or not.
|
|
|
RonPaul2012
Hazard to Self
Posts: 89
Registered: 29-2-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
I just wish I had more time.
I have an idea , I could go through the woods with several bags and collect samples of everything I come across and post pictures ; so we could
identify the samples 
What do you think ?
My friend pulled off a leaf to a plant (I don't remember the name) and told me to chew it , I did and it tasted a lot like lemons.
I may not know much but I am willing to learn
[Edited on 18-7-2012 by RonPaul2012]
|
|
|
hyfalcon
International Hazard
Posts: 1003
Registered: 29-3-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Sounds like oxalis of some sort that tasted like lemons. Did it look like a 3 leaf clover only lighter and smaller?
|
|
|
RonPaul2012
Hazard to Self
Posts: 89
Registered: 29-2-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by hyfalcon  | | Sounds like oxalis of some sort that tasted like lemons. Did it look like a 3 leaf clover only lighter and smaller? |
It was Sassafras IIRC
|
|
|
zoombafu
Hazard to Others
Posts: 255
Registered: 21-11-2011
Location: U.S.
Member Is Offline
Mood: sciencey
|
|
Sassafras is a tree, and it has a liquorish scent.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
