The drying methods had significant effects on EO components (
Table 1). In our study, seven main constituents were determined in the dried and fresh samples of
L. citriodora. GC-FID chromatograms of essential oils from fresh and shade-dried samples are shown in
Figure 2. The oxygenated monoterpenes including 1,8-cineole, neral, and geranial were the main components of
L. citriodora essential oil (
Table 2). In pre-drying and no pre-drying conditions, the highest 1,8-cineole content was obtained in oven-drying at 45°C (7.59% and 7.67%, respectively). However, 1,8-cineole content had no significant difference between oven-drying at 45°C and microwave-drying at 500 W. In addition, the lowest amount of 1,8-cineole (4.94%) was related to oven-drying at 55°C without pre-drying (
Table 2). Neral and geranial contents were decreased by drying conditions and their greatest values were achieved in fresh plant samples followed by shade-dried samples (
Table 2). In this study, the content of the main monoterpene hydrocarbon (Limonene) was more in microwave-drying (especially at 1000 W) at both pre-drying and no pre-drying conditions than in other drying methods (
Table 2). In addition, the highest (6.52%) and the lowest (4.35%) contents of curcumene as a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon were obtained by shade-drying without pre-drying and oven-drying at 45°C after pre-drying, respectively (
Table 2). Without the pre-drying operation, the various methods of drying led to a decreased amount of oxygenated monoterpenes. However, spathulenol and caryophyllene oxide as two important oxygenated sesquiterpenes in
L. citriodora oil were significantly affected by drying methods (
Table 1). The maximum contents of spathulenol (6.99%) and caryophyllene oxide (8.41%) were related to treatment with oven-drying at 35°C without the pre-drying operation, and their minimum contents were achieved in oven-drying at 35°C with the pre-drying operation.
According to our results, pre-drying significantly changed the components in oven-drying. The sesquiterpene hydrocarbons content was reduced with increasing oven temperature without pre-drying operation, but it was reversely related to temperatures of the oven after pre-drying. Although there was no change in the content of oxygenated sesquiterpene with increasing the temperature of the oven from 35 to 55°C without the pre-drying process, their contents were increased by increasing oven temperature after the pre-drying operation. The content of oxygenated monoterpene without pre-drying was increased by increasing the temperature in oven-drying (
Table 2). The essential oil content was reduced with increasing the microwave radiation power in pre-drying conditions. The main components of
L. citriodora essential oil were differentially changed by microwave powers. Neral, 1,8-cineole, and geranial contents were increased with the increment of microwave power up to 500 W, and then commenced to reduce without pre-drying operation. Indeed, the spathulenol content was decreased by rising microwave power in this group. In the pre-drying group, the contents of limonene, 1,8-cineole, spathulenol, and caryophyllene oxide were increased by the increment of microwave power from 100 to 500 W. Moreover, the percentages of some components such as neral, geranial, and curcumene were decreased by increasing the microwave power.