Development of aromatherapy candles using essential oils from local plants

In this study, aromatherapy candles were made from aroma medicinal plants namely Citrus limon, Citrus sinensis, Cymbopogon citra/us, and Cymbopogon nardus. The essential oils of C. limon, C. sinensis, C. citratus, and C. nardus were extracted using hydrodistillation method, the yield of essential oil was 0.41 % (w/w), 1.20 %, 0.36 % (w/w), 0.48 % (w/w) respectively. These essential oils were analyzed using GC-MS. Ten components such as Limonene (48.45 %), ß-Pinene (14.25 %), cis-Geraniol (4.43 %), α-Terpineol (2.74 %), IR-α-Pinene (2.62 %), L-4-Terpineol (1.99 %), Nerylacetate (1.56 %), Geranylacetate (1.19 %), Terpinolen (1.13 %) and ß-Bisabolene (0.92 %) were identified in essential oil of C. limon while ten compounds which were limonene (91.20010), ß-Myrcene (2.73%), ß-Linalool (1.24%), and IR-α-Pinene (0.73%), α-Terpineol (0.36 %), 3-Carene (0.39 %), L-ß-Pinene (0.30 %), flCitrnellol (0.28 %), L-4-Terpineol (0.26 %) and I-Decanol (0.22 %) in essential oil of C. sinensis were identified. Ten compounds such as a-Citral (33.29 %), ß-Citral (28.70 %), fl-Maaliene (7.78 %), tau-Muurolol (3.94 %), ß-trans-Ocimene (3.25 %), ß-Pinene (2.97 %), cis-Geraniol (2.45 %), cis-Verbenol (2.47 %). Juniper camphor (2.37 %) and α-Pinene(1.06 %) in essential oil of C. citratus were identified. The major components in C. nardus essential oil were cis-Geraniol (18.53 %). ß-Citronella (14.23 %), (R)-(+)-ß-Citronellol (11.98 %), α-Cadinol (8.95 %), τ-Eudesmol (7.68 %), Geranylacetate (4.72 %), Citronellylacetate (3.81 %), Elemol (3.54 %). ß-Linalool (3.78 %), and lastly tau-Muurolol (2.94 %). Thirty three aroma therapy candles were made with formulation of 40 g of paraffin wax mixed with 1 mL of essential oils. The aromatherapy candles made could bum for six hours long and release aroma after two hours lighting. It was lead-free and sootless