About Lesson
- Certain plant materials require maceration in warm water before they release their essential oils, as their volatile components are glycosidically bound.
- For example, leaves of wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) contain the precursor gaultherin and the enzyme primeverosidase; when the leaves are macerated in warm water, the enzyme acts on the gaultherin and liberates free methyl salicylate and primeverose.
Other similar examples include brown mustard (sinigrin), bitter almonds (amygdalin) and garlic (alliin).
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