A Biochemical Study of the Essential Oils of Mentha Gattefossei Maire (Studies on Synthesis and Utilization of Formose Part IV)

From the changes of the yields of essential oils and the contents of each constituent in the course of growing of M. Gattefossei, the following evidence was observed: At the early growing stage of this plant, d-pulegone was produced abundantly by the first reduction of the 1 (2) double-bond of piperitenone, the intermediate of main constituents. In the blooming stage, d-pulegone was further converted to l-menthone and a small amount of piperitenone now changed to piperitone by the second reduction of the 4 (8) double-bond respectively. In this plant, the reduction of l-menthone to l-menthol did not occur.