Specification :

PLANT INFORMATION

Common names: Ambrette, Vegetable Musk, Musk mallow, Musk okra, Muskdana, Musky-seeded hibiscus, Annual hibiscus, Bamia Moschata, Gombo musqué, Ketmie musquée, Bisamstrauch, Bisam-Eibisch, Abelmosco, Fior muschiato, Ibisco muschiato, Ryûkyû tororo aoi, Kapas hantu, Kapas hutan, Kasturi, Kasturi bhendi, Gandapura, Som chaba, Chamot ton, Mahakadaeng, Bup vang, Vong vang, Huang kui ( ),Shan youma ( ),Ye youma ( ).

Botanical data:
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsia
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Abelmoschus
Species: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Synonyms of species: Abelmoschus sagittifolius (Kurz) Merr.; Abelmoschus moschatus subsp. tuberosus; Hibiscus abelmoschus L.; Abelmoschus moschatus subsp. moschatus

Origin: Vietnam. Ambrette seeds are harvested from the farms of SECOIN CO., LTD.

Description of plant and seed: An erect evergreen shrub bearing large, single flowers with pale centers. The capsules, in the form of five cornered pyramids, contain greyish-brown kidney-shaped seeds that have a musky odour. See below the photos taken from the farm of SECOIN CO., LTD.

OIL INFORMAION

- CAS number: 8015-62-1 ( 8022-32-0, 84455-19-6 )
- FEMA number: 2050 (2051)
- EINECS number: 282-891-8
- Extraction methods: Hydrodistillation, Steam distillation
- Physical parameters:
Appearance: lightly yellow to brownish liquid
Specific gravity (@15oC): 0.902 ~ 0.920 g/cm3
Refractive index (@20oC): 1.4695 ~ 1.4768
Optical Rotation (@20oC): + 0.2o ~ +2.8o
Acid value (max): 2.8
Ester value: 143.7 ~ 196.0
Ester value (after acetylation): 206.3 ~ 213.7
Solubility: soluble in alcohol 80%
Odour: sweet aromatic scent (oil has a sweet, flowery fragrance quite similar to that of musk. (musk is the name originally given to a substance with a penetrating odor obtained from a gland of the male musk deer, which is situated between its stomach and genitals)
- Main constituents:The Ambrette seed oil is rich in linoleic acid and contains a-cephalin, phosphatidylserine, its plasmalogen and phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen. The characteristic musk-like odor of the seed oil is mainly due to the presence of a ketone, ambrettolide ((Z)-hexadec-7-en-16-olid), a lactone of ambrettolic acid. The chemical constituents of the essential oil of the seeds are: ambrettolide; trans-2-trans-6-farnesyl acetate; cis-2-cis-6- farnesyl acetate; cis-2-trans-6-farnesyl acetate; ethyl hexadecanate; ethyl laurate; trans-2-trans-6-farnesol; E-2,3-dihydrofarnesyl acetat; E-E-farnesyl acetat; (Z)-tetradec-5-en-14-olid; palmitic acid; oleic acid; linoleic acid; stearic acid, myristic acid; palmitoleic. See the COA (certificate of analysis) attached herewith.
- Blending with: Clary Sage, Cypress, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwood
- Applications: Ambrette seed oil is used in luxury perfumery, cosmetic products and as an additive in the preparation of some kinds of chewing tobacco, aromatherapy products, baked products, sweets, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Sometimes seeds are burned as incense and used in making incense sticks (agarbattis). Abelmoschus moschatus has many applications in traditional medicines, it is also said to be an aphrodisiac.