Ulje korena anđelike

Angelica archangelica belongs to the family Apiaceae. During its first year the plant grows only leaves; during its second year its fluted stem can reach about 2.5 meters, and the root is used in flavoring preparations. It grows wild in Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, mostly in the northern parts of the countries. It is cultivated in France, mainly in the Marais Poitevin.

Monoterpenes make up most of the oil, 70-83 % in samples from northern Finland, with α-pinene and α- and β-phellandrene as the main components. The same samples held decanolides (2-15 %) and small percentages of coumarins, including osthol. The root oil contains about 90% terpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. α-Pinene, 3-carene, limonene and β-phellandrene are its major components, together about 60%. α-Pinene ranges from 4.4 to 24%, α-phellandrene from 7.5 to 20% and β-phellandrene from 16 to 24%. Macrocyclic lactones make up 0.8 to 2.4% of the oil. The macrolides 15-pentadecanolide and 13-tridecanolide are essential odor components. Cyclopentadecanolide, present in small quantities (under 1% in roots), gives angelica root a distinctive musky aroma.

The oil is soluble in most fixed oils and slightly soluble in mineral oil, but relatively insoluble in glycerin and propylene glycol. Differences between old and young roots and the labor-intensive digging and cleaning of the roots make the root oil fairly expensive. The roots are among the most common botanicals used in gin distillation, and they are also used in absinthes, aquavits, and bitters. From the 10th century on, angelica was cultivated as a vegetable and medicinal plant. The name Angelica is a Latin feminine form implying something angel-like, dating from the mid-16th century and probably given to the plant because of its scent.

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Related: Alpha Pinene · Angelica · Angelica Root · Artemisia · Barrenwort · Beachheather · Behini Tree · Beta Pinene