Barbosa, Fabrizio da F.Barbosa, Luiz C. A.Melo, Evandro C.Botelho, Fernando MendesSantos, Ricardo H. S.2018-01-242018-01-242006-06-141678-7064http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-40422006000600014http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/16776Leaves of Lippia alba were submitted to six different drying treatments, using air at ambient temperature and heated up to 80 °C. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by GC-MS. For the dried leaves, the oil content was reduced by 12 to 17% when compared with the fresh plant (0.66%). The major oil component was citral, representing 76% for the fresh plant, and varying from 82 to 84% for the dried material. These results showed that L. alba can be submitted to a drying process of up to 80 ºC without degradation and/or loss of the major, [LC1] active component.pdfporOpen AccessMedicinal plantLippia albaCitralArtigo