The Chemistry of Osmanthus: The Fragrance of Asia
Osmanthus, a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae, is native to eastern Asia 1 . Among these, Osmanthus fragrans, also known as sweet osmanthus, sweet olive, tea olive, and fragrant olive, is particularly renowned for its unique floral color and fragrance 2 . The fragrance of Osmanthus fragrans is formed by a variety of endogenous metabolites that distinguish it from other flowers 3 . The golden-orange flowers are most used in perfumery as they’re said to produce the best scent from extraction. The higher concentration of carotenoids in their chemical make-up contributes to their more vivid orange color as well as to making their fragrance richer 4 . The Chemistry Behind the Fragrance The chemical constituents of Osmanthus fragrans have been studied extensively. More than 20 phytochemicals have been identified in osmanthus fragrans, such as acteoside, salidroside, and ligustroside, which have antioxidant effects 5 . A ...