Water deficit-induced alterations in chemical composition of fresh vs. dried peppermint (Mentha piperita L.)

Abstract

In this study, the effects of water stress on the fresh and dried herbage yield, essential oil content, and the composition of 25 different volatile oil constituents of Mentha piperita L. were investigated. The experiment was conducted under controlled pot conditions with four irrigation regimes: field capacity (100%, no stressed–NS), 75% of field capacity (mild stress–MS), 50% (moderate stress–MdS), and 25% (severe stress–SS). Herbage yield decreased with increasing water stress. While the essential oil percentage increased under mild and moderate stress, severe stress reduced total oil yield due to biomass loss. Viridiflorol showed the largest decrease, with a 50% reduction under MdS. The highest increases after drying were observed under non-stressed conditions, with γ-terpinene (198%), germacrene-D (83%) and terpinen-4-ol (68%). Water stress and drying significantly altered the concentrations of monoterpene and sesquiterpene compounds, leading to distinct compositional profiles between fresh and dried herbage. Essential oil constituents in fresh herbage exhibited a more dispersed and independent profile, whereas post-drying metabolic relationships became more structured and pronounced. Correlation analyses demonstrated strong positive and negative relationships among certain alcohols, esters, ketones, and sesquiterpenes, which were associated with common biosynthetic pathways and post-harvest processing effects. Drying was found to influence both the quantitative and qualitative profiles of essential oils, highlighting the importance of optimal processing methods. The stress levels at which the greatest increases or decreases in compound concentrations were observed were generally no stress and mild water stress conditions.

Keywords

• Mentha piperita L
• Water stres
• Drying
• Oil Yield
• Essential oil composition

Su stresinin taze ve kuru nanenin (Mentha piperita L.) kimyasal kompozisyonuna etkileri

Öz

Araştırmada, Mentha piperita L.’nin taze ve kuru herba verimi, uçucu yağ içeriği ve 25 farklı uçucu yağ bileşiği üzerine su stresinin etkileri incelenmiştir. Deneme, kontrollü saksı koşullarında: tarla kapasitesi (%100, stres yok-NS) ve tarla kapasitesinin %75’i (hafif stres-MS), %50’si (orta düzey stres-MdS) ve %25’i (şiddetli stres-SS) düzeylerinde yürütülmüştür. Herba verimi, stres ile azalmıştır. Uçucu yağ oranı hafif ve orta streste artarken, şiddetli stres biyokütledeki kayıp nedeniyle toplam yağ verimini azaltmıştır. Viridiflorol, orta streste %50'lik bir azalma ile en büyük düşüşü göstermiştir. Kurutma sonrası en yüksek artışlar, stressiz konuda γ-terpinene’de (%198), germacrene-D’de (%83) ve terpinen-4-ol’de (%68) gözlenmiştir. Su stresi ve kurutma monoterpen ve seskiterpen bileşiklerinde belirgin değişiklikler oluşturmuş ve taze ile kuru herba arasında farklı profiller ortaya çıkarmıştır. Taze herbada uçucu yağ bileşenleri daha bağımsız ve dağınık bir profile sahipken, kurutma sonrası metabolik ilişkiler daha düzenli ve güçlü hale gelmiştir. Korelasyon analizleri, belirli alkol, ester, keton ve seskiterpenler arasında güçlü pozitif ve negatif ilişkiler oluşturmuş; bunun, ortak biyosentetik yollar ve hasat sonrası işleme etkileriyle ilişkili olduğu saptanmıştır. Kurutma, uçucu yağların nicelik ve nitelik profillerini etkilemiş ve bu nedenle optimum işleme yöntemlerinin önemli olduğu görülmüştür. Bileşiklerin kurutma ile en fazla arttığı veya azaldığı stres düzeyleri genel olarak stressiz ve hafif su stresi olarak belirlenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Mentha piperita L
• Su stresi
• Kurutma
• Yağ verimi
• Uçucu yağ bileşikleri

Kaynakça

1. Abbaszadeh, B., Layeghhaghighi, M., Azimi, R., & Hadi, N. (2020). Improving water use efficiency through drought stress and using salicylic acid for proper production of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Industrial Crops and Products, 144, 111893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.111893
2. Alhaithloul, H.A.S. (2023). Comparative studies of the biochemical and molecular responses of Haloxylon ammodendron grown on heavy metal polluted soil in Al-Jouf region of Saudi Arabia. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 21 (6), 5369-5387.
3. Anandakumar, P., Kamaraj, S., & Vanitha, M.K. (2021). D-limonene: A multifunctional compound with potent therapeutic effects. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 45 (1), e13566. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.13566
4. Anca-Raluca, A., Boz, I., Zamfırache, M.M., & Burzo, I. (2018). Chemical composition of essential oils from Mentha aquatica L. at different moments of the ontogenetic cycle. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 7 (9), 470-473.
5. Aziz, E.E., Hendawy, S.F., & Omer, E.A. (2008). Response of sweet marjoram to water deficit stress. Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 4 (7), 949-957.
6. Bakkali, F., Averbeck, S., Averbeck, D., & Idaomar, M. (2008). Biological effects of essential oils – A review. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46 (2), 446-475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2007.09.106
7. Bhatia, S.P., McGinty, D., Foxenberg, R.J., Letizia, C.S., & Api, A.M. (2008). Fragrance material review on terpineol. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46 (Suppl 11), 275-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2008.06.075
8. Bilginoğlu, E. (2025). Mentha piperita’nın taze ve kuru yapraklarının esansiyel yağ içerikleri ve bileşen analizleri. Türk Tarım ve Doğa Bilimleri Dergisi, 22 (4), 123-135.

9. Bremness, L. (1994). Herbs. Dorling Kindersley.
10. Burbott, A.J., & Loomis, W.D. (1967). Effects of light and temperature on the monoterpenes of peppermint. Plant Physiology, 42 (1), 20-28. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.42.1.20
11. Burt, S. (2004). Essential oils: Their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods – A review. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 94 (3), 223-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.03.022
12. Çalışkan, T., Maral, H., & Kafkas, E. (2017). Farklı kurutma yöntemlerinin nane (Mentha piperita L.) esansiyel yağ içeriği ve bileşimi üzerine etkisi. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 51 (3), 518-523.
13. Clark, R.J., & Menary, R.C. (1980). The effect of environment on peppermint oil yield. Journal of Experimental Botany, 31 (124), 593-598. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/31.4.593
14. Clark, R.J., & Menary, R.C. (1984). The effect of two harvests per year on the yield and composition of Tasmanian peppermint oil (Mentha piperita L.). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 35 (11), 1191-1195.
15. Cevc, G., Berts, I., Fischer, S.F., Rädler, J.O., & Nickel, B. (2018). Nanostructures in n-octanol equilibrated with additives and/or water. Langmuir, 34 (21), 6285-6295. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00142
16. Çalışkan, T., Maral, H., & Kafkas, E. (2017). Farklı kurutma yöntemlerinin nane (Mentha piperita L.) esansiyel yağ içeriği ve bileşimi üzerine etkisi. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 51 (3), 518-523.
17. Duman, İ., & Ödemiş, B. (2024). Impact of water stress on water-yield relations, oil yield and essential oil quality of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). Journal of Tekirdag Agricultural Faculty. (Baskıda)
18. Eccles, R. (1994). Menthol and related cooling compounds. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 46 (8), 618-630. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7158.1994.tb03871.x
19. El Shiekh, R.A., Atwa, A.M., Elgindy, A.M., Mustafa, A.M., Senna, M.M., Alkabbani, M.A., & İbrahim, K.M. (2025). Therapeutic application of eucalyptus essential oils. Inflammopharmacology, 33, 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-024-01588-8
20. Farahani, H.A., Lebaschi, M.H., & Hussein, M.B. (2009). Effects of water stress on growth, yield and essential oil content of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 3 (10), 683-687.
21. Gertsch, J., Leonti, S., Raduner, I., Racz, J., Chen, J., Xie, X., Altmann, K., Karsak, M., & Zimmer, A. (2008). Beta-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105 (26), 9099-9104. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0803601105
22. Gillij, Y.G., Gleiser, R.M., & Zygadlo, J.A. (2008). Mosquito repellent activity of essential oils of aromatic plants growing in Argentina. Bioresource Technology, 99 (7), 2507-2515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2007.04.066
23. Gomes-Carneiro, M.R., Viana, M.E., Felzenszwalb, I., & Paumgartten, F.J. (2005). Evaluation of beta-myrcene, alpha-terpinene and (+)- and (–)-alpha-pinene in the Salmonella/microsome assay. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 43 (2), 247-252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2004.09.011
24. Hubert, S.C., Tsiaparas, S., Luhmer, K., Moll, M.D., Passon, M., Wüst, M., Schieber, A., & Pude, R. (2024). Essential oil composition and physiology of three Mentha genotypes under shaded field conditions. Plants, 13 (22), 3155. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13223155
25. Hudz, N., Kobylinska, L., Pokajewicz, K., Horčinová Sedláčková, V., Fedin, R., Voloshyn, M., Myskiv, I., Brindza, J., Wieczorek, P.P., & Lipok, J. (2023). Mentha piperita: Essential oil and extracts, their biological activities, and perspectives on the development of new medicinal and cosmetic products. Molecules, 28 (21), 7444. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28217444
26. Juergens, U.R. (2014). Anti-inflammatory properties of the monoterpene 1,8-cineole: Current evidence for co-medication in inflammatory airway diseases. Drug Research, 64 (12), 638-646. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1372609
27. Khalid, K.A., & Teixeira da Silva, J.A. (2010). Yield, essential oil and pigment content of Calendula officinalis L. flower heads cultivated under salt stress conditions. Scientia Horticulturae, 126 (2), 297-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2010.07.023
28. Khaleel, C., Nurhayat, T., & Gerhard, B. (2018). α-Terpineol, a natural monoterpene: A review of its biological properties. Open Chemistry, 16, 349-361. https://doi.org/10.1515/chem-2018-0040
29. Khorasaninejad, S., Mousavi, A.A., Soltanloo, H., Hemmati, K., & Khalighi, A. (2011). The effect of drought stress on growth parameters, essential oil yield and constituent of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). Medicinal Plant Research, 5 (22), 5360-5365.
30. Krause, S.T., Köllner, T.G., Asbach, J., & Degenhardt, J. (2013). Stereochemical mechanism of two sabinene hydrate synthases forming antipodal monoterpenes in thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 529 (2), 112-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2012.12.003
31. Kunert, G., Reinhold, C., & Gershenzon, J. (2010). Constitutive emission of the aphid alarm pheromone (E)-β-farnesene from plants does not serve as a direct defense against aphids. BMC Ecology, 10, 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-10-23
32. Misra, A., & Srivastava, N. K. (2000). Influence of water stress on Japanese mint. Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants, 7 (1), 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1300/J044v07n01_07
33. Mondello, F., Fontana, S., Scaturro, M., Girolamo, A., Colone, M., Stringaro, A., Di Vito, M., & Ricci, M.L. (2022). Terpinen-4-ol, the main bioactive component of tea tree oil, as an innovative antimicrobial agent against Legionella pneumophila. Pathogens, 11 (6), 682. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11060682
34. Peana, A.T., D’Aquila, P.S., Panin, F., Serra, G., Pippia, P., & Moretti, M.D. (2002). Anti-inflammatory activity of linalool and linalyl acetate constituents of essential oils. Phytomedicine, 9 (8), 721-726. https://doi.org/10.1078/094471102321621322
35. Polatcı, H., & Aksüt, B. (2022). The effect of different drying methods applied to mint plant on drying kinetics and quality characteristics. Journal of Agricultural Machinery Science, 8 (1), 1-8.
36. Ren, Y., Liu, S., Jin, G., Yang, X., & Zhou, Y.J. (2020). Microbial production of limonene and its derivatives: Achievements and perspectives. Biotechnology Advances, 44, 107628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107628
37. Ruberto, G., & Baratta, M.T. (2000). Antioxidant activity of selected essential oil components in two lipid model systems. Food Chemistry, 69, 167-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(99)00247-2
38. Salehi, B., Upadhyay, S., Erdogan, O.I., Kumar, J.A., Jayaweera, L.D.S., Dias, D.A., Sharopov, F., Taheri, Y., Martins, N., Baghalpour, N., Cho, W.C., & Sharifi-Rad, J. (2019). Therapeutic potential of α- and β-pinene: A miracle gift of nature. Biomolecules, 9 (11), 738. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9110738
39. Schmidt, E., Bail, S., Buchbauer, G., Stoilova, I., Atanasova, T., Stoyanova, A., Krastanov, A., & Jirovetz, L. (2009). Chemical composition, olfactory evaluation and antioxidant effects of essential oil from Mentha × piperita. Natural Product Communications, 4 (8), 1107-1112.
40. Sessini, V., Palenzuela, M., Damian, J., & Mosquera, M.E.G. (2020). Bio-based polyether from limonene oxide catalytic ROP as green polymeric plasticizer for PLA. Polymer, 210, 123003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2020.123003
41. Singh, R., Ahmed, S., Luxmi, S., Rai, G., Gupta, A.P., Bhanwaria, R., & Gandhi, S.G. (2023). Physicochemical characteristics and essential oil composition of Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. exposed to different salt stress conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14, 1165687. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1165687
42. Zhang, S., Chen, L., Niu, L., Yuan, H., Shan, X., Zhang, Q., Feng, Y., Zhou, Q., Jiang, Y., & Li, J. (2024). New insights into the role of lipids in aroma formation during black tea processing revealed by integrated lipidomics and volatolomics. Current Research in Food Science, 9, 100910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100910