WO2008138084A2

WO2008138084A2 - Process for enrichment of safrole

Info

Publication number: WO2008138084A2
Application number: PCT/BR2008/000133
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Aurélio CREMASCO; Nazareno De Pina Braga
Original assignee: Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP
Current assignee: Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP
Priority date: 2007-05-10
Filing date: 2008-05-09
Publication date: 2008-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-10
Also published as: BRPI0701772A2; WO2008138084A3

Abstract

The present invention refers to an important step in the processing of bioproducts, as is the case of essential oils rich in safrole. The invention here described refers to the enrichment of safrole from mixtures containing safrole resulting from the extraction of safrole from plants which are rich in this component. The enrichment process uses the operations of adsorption and desorption in an activated charcoal bed. The adsorption operation is followed by desorption using an alcoholic solvent which contains then, the enriched, desorbed essential oil. This method employs simple and easy-to-handle equipments, as well as allows, due to a low time consumption and low financial cost, the enrichment to reach a higher safrole content than the currently employed methods.

Description

Specification of Patent of Invention for PROCESS FOR ENRICHMENT OF SAFROLE".

The present invention relates to a process for enrichment of safrole from mixtures obtained through safrole extraction carried out in plants from family Lauraceae or plants from family Piperaceae.

Description of the state of art

Essential oils are natural volatile fractions extracted from aromatic plants, and which evaporate at room temperature. These volatile chemical substances present in essential oils are formed by esters classes of fatty acids, mono- and sesquiterpenes, phenylpropanones, aldehyde alcohols, and, in some cases, aliphatic hydrocarbons, among others.

For thousands of years, essential oils have been extracted from plants and used in perfume, cosmetic industries, and drugs for medicinal use.

Safrole is a natural alylbenzene present in essential oils from plants and it is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. However, it is on species of families Aristolochiaceae, Lauraceae, and Piperaceae that it can be found in substantial amounts. Safrole, whose properties are shown in Table 1, is a alyl-benzene, more specifically 4-alyl-l,2- methylenedioxybenzene (C _I0H₁₀O₂), used in various kinds of industries as a raw material for the manufacturing of different compounds. Essential oils containing safrole, usually sold in their natural form by producers, have attained, in the recent years, an increasingly higher market value due to their extensive application and low supply.

Table 1 - Some safrole properties

As seen in the scheme proposed by Barreiro and Fraga (Barreiro e Fraga, Quimica Nova, 22 (5), 744-759, 1999) shown in Figure 1, some examples of compounds resulting from the processing of safrole are piperonal, used as a fragrance fixer; piperonyl butoxyde, used as a synergist insecticide; methylenedioxy-indol-yl-methanoic acid, used as a plant growth regulator; veratraldehyde, used as a flavorant; and methylisochromanylacetic acid, used as an anti-inflammatory.

Safrole occurs as the main component of essential oil from Sassafras albidum Nees, a lauraceae found in the eastern area of the United States. Among safrole-rich species belonging to the family Piperaceae are Piper hispidinervium, C. DC, Piper aduncum, and Piper hispidum. Among known safrole- rich species belonging to the family Lauraceae are Cinnamomum camphora, used as a source of safrole in China, Cinamomum petrophilum, Sassafras albidum, and Ocotea pretiosa widely used in Brazil during the 1980^Λs as a source of safrole.

Sassafras oil, due to its characteristic flavor, has already been used as food flavorant, but now its use for this purpose is prohibited due to its toxicity. Studies made with rats subjected to a food diet containing safrole evidenced hepatotoxic and carcinogenic effects. However, sassafras oil is still used as a flavorant for technical products, such as insecticides and disinfectants. Nevertheless, the main application of sassafras oil is in the obtainment of safrole and its derivative piperonal, which are important mediators in organic synthesis. The presence of an aromatic ring substituted with a catecholic pattern masked in the form of an acetal group, turn safrole and piperonal raw materials of great interest. When the target molecules have, in its structures, aromatic rings containing the methylenedioxybenzene or orthodihydroxybenzene, the use of these substances as raw materials is extremely advantageous. In this regard, safrole and piperonal have been widely used in the preparation of various groups of biologically-active natural products, such as lignans, neolignans, and different kinds of alkaloids, as well as synthetic substances for planned drug development.

Safrole is considered, among the components of Brazilian essential oils, as one of the most abundant, naturally present in sassafras oil extracted from the Laurel Ocotea pretiosa Mez., which is abundant in the valley of Itajai-Acύ river, Located in the State of Santa Caratina, through the steam distillation of its trunk and branches sassafras oil is produced in Brazil, whose safrole content is higher to 90% (Barreiro e Fraga, Quimica Nova, 22 (5), 744-759, 1999). The biggest producer, China, extracts the oil as one of the fractions of the distillate of the camphor tree (Cinnamomum canphora Sieb), and also known as 'brown camphor oil', or 'artificial Sassafras'.

It must be emphasized that until early 90 's, Brazil was the main producer of safrole when the product was obtained by extracting sassafras oil (Ocotea Pretiosa Mezz), in the States of Santa Catarina and Parana. However, the unsustainable production has put the specie under risk of extinction, so that, in 1991, the "Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renovaveis" (Ibama), a Brazilian organization in charge of enviromental issues, prohibited the exploration of sassafras. Suddenly, Brazil changed from the main world producer to an importer. All over the globe, safrole consumption exceeds 3 thousands tons/year, but its supply is in jeopardy. More than half of the safrole supply currently in the market comes from China, where it is extracted from wild native species, like Cinnamomum camphora, in the same predatory way employed in Brazil during the 80' s. The Chinese consumption of safrole, particularly used for the production of heliotropin and piperonyl butoxyde, has grown in the recent years. Specialists believe that, in the near future, there will be a decrease in safrole supply available on the market due to the predatory nature of safrole exploration in China and the increase of the demand for this product by their internal market.

In Brazil, nowadays, the source of safrole is being substituted by essential oil from long pepper {Piper hispidinervium C. DC) as a result of the risk of extinction of the Laurel Ocotea pretiosa. Long pepper is an alternative source of natural safrole which can be exploited non-destructively, since the essential oil is found on the crown of the plant which sprouts again easily after being cut. In addition to Piper hispidinervium C DC, other species of piperaceae, Piper aduncum and Piper hispidum, are also sources of safrole. These species belong to the genus Piper from family Piperaceae. In Brazil, thanks to its biodiversity, as well as the expansion of the bio(chemical) industry, there is a high market potential, for example, for essential oils from species of the Brazilian flora, as is the case of piperaceae. This is advantageous for the development of new technologies for obtaining and processing such products and its derivatives. The importance of this alylbenzene (safrole) lies, among other things, on its chemical conversion for the production, inter alia, of heliotropin, a fragrance fixer component, and of piperonyl butoxyde, a synergistic agent which stabilizes pyrethrum, which formulation is comprised of a biodegradable natural insecticide, used in food storage and preservation.

Preliminary data from researches performed by Embrapa-Acre (Empresa brasileira de pesquisa agricola do estado do Acre) shows that long pepper is able to reach an annual productivity up to 200 kg per hectare of essential oil with a safrole content higher than 90%. This result is more than interesting for small producers, because the price on the national and international markets fluctuates between US$ 5.00 and US$ 8.00 per kilogram. Consequently, the use of piperaceae, more specifically, of long pepper became an important source of safrole to be explored.

The cost of implantation for 1 hectare of long pepper is US$ 1,090 and the maintenance cost for 1 hectare from the 2^nd year is US$ 350. A mill station for processing 15 hectares is estimated in US$ 5,044. The processing cost for 1 liter of oil is US$ 0.36. The average net revenue per hectare/year, i.e., taking into consideration the whole implantation and maintenance costs for 15 hectares during the period of 6 years, the construction of the mill station, the harvesting and oil processing, including salaries and commissions for a manager and an operator required for the operation of the mill station is R$ 305 (Pimentel, F.A., Comunicado tecnico Embrapa/AC, n.99, 1999). The oil price on national and international markets ranges from 4.5 to 8 dollars/kilogram. The productivity in the 1^st year is from 100 to 125 kg of oil per hectare and in the 2^nd year, i.e., with two cuts is from 200 to 250 kg of oil. The oil yield ranges from 2 to 2.5% (Pimentel, F. A., Comunicado tecnico Embrapa/AC n.148, 2001).

It is important to draw attention to the lack of researches, as well as works, concerning the separation of safrole from long pepper's essential oil. Among works that describe the purification of safrole, could be mentioned those described by Ikeda, T. and Takeda, S. (Ikeda, T. and Takeda, S., J. Chem. Soc. Japan 57, 565-73, 1936), where safrole is purified through the use of mercury salts. This method represents a practical way of purifying safrole, however, it can not used for every kind of mixtures containing safrole. This method also has the drawback of using a mercury salt which is toxic to humans and the environment. Pimentel, F.A. (Pimentel, F.A., Comunicado tecnico Embrapa/AC n.148, 2001), detailed the use of redistillation for the concentration of safrole in the essential oil from long pepper. The work developed by Pimentel F.A., uses redistillation carried out by cohobation at a temperature of 105⁰C (221⁰F). In the described process, the mixture is prepared at a ratio of 50% between water and essential oil for optimizing the concentration of safrole and making the separation of the most volatile components easier after the process of redistillation. This process of redistillation of an essential oil obtained from the fresh biomass of long pepper, occurs within 3 hours and 30 minutes and uses essential oils with a minimal concentration of 75% of safrole and reaches a concentration higher than 90%. Although it represents a feasible process and able to be used in practice, the process disclosed by Pimentel, F.A., has a high energy cost and also promotes chemical reactions beceuse of the temperature reached in the distillation process (105⁰C / 221⁰F).

Objects of the invention

The present invention aims to provide a simple and efficient method for enrichment of safrole from an essential oil extracted from plants belonging to family Lauraceae or plants belonging to family Piperaceae. Summary of the invention

The present invention refers to an important step in the processing of bioproducts, as the case of essential oils rich in safrole. The invention described herein refers to the enrichment of safrole from mixtures containing safrole resulting from the extraction of safrole from plants which are rich in this component. The enrichment process uses the operation of adsorption and desorption in an activated charcoal bed. The adsorption operation is followed by desorption using an alcoholic solvent which is enriched with the desorbed essential oil. This method employs simple and easy-to-handle equipments, as well as has a lower time consumption and lower financial cost when compared to the safrole content reached by the currently used methods.

This invention refers to a process for enrichment of safrole from a mixture containing safrole resulting from the extraction of safrole from plants belonging to family Lauraceae or plants from family Piperaceae, and comprises the following steps:

a) adsorbing the mixture containing safrole in activated charcoal;

b) desorbing the mixture containing safrole adsorbed in activated charcoal, with the use of a solvent; The present invention also refers to an essential oil obtained by the process for enrichment of safrole, and the refered process contains the described steps of adsorption and desorption. The present invention also refers to an essential oil comprising safrole obtained by the process for enrichment of safrole, and the refered process has the described steps of adsorption and desorption. Further, the present invention refers to an essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene obtained by the process for enrichment of safrole, said process comprising the previously described steps of adsorption and desorption.

Moreover, this invention refers to an essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene dissolved in an alcoholic solvent, obtained by the process for enrichment of safrole, said process comprising the described steps of adsorption and desorption, as well as an essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene dissolved in ethanol obtained by the process for enrichment of safrole, said process comprising the described steps of adsorption and desorption. This invention also refers to a process for enrichment of safrole which comprises the use of the process for enrichment of safrole, said process comprising the described steps of adsorption and desorption.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows derivatives of Safrole. Figure 2 shows an experimental packed-bed adsorption / desorption system, where: 1) Vessel containing essential oil to be enriched, 2) hose, 3) peristaltic pump, 4) column containing packed activated charcoal, 5) vessel (vial) for sample collecting.

Figure 3 shows chromatograms of essential oil from long pepper (a) without adsorption, (b) with adsorption.

Figure 4 is a comparison between the adsorption and the distillation of the essential oil from long pepper (Piper hispidinervium C. DC).

Detailed description of the invention

Safrole is an important compound which can be used as a raw material for obtaining various products in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agricultural fields. Safrole can be chemically converted into heliotropin, a fixer agent for fragrances, and piperonyl butoxyde, a synergistic agent of pyrethrum, forming a natural, biodegradable insecticide used in food storing and preservation. Safrole is the main constituent of some essential oils from plants such as oils derived from the species Piper hispidinervium C. DC, Cinamomum petrophilum and Sassafras albidum. Usually, these essential oils are commercialized in their natural form by their producers, reaching lower prices on the market. In this context, the acquisition of methods more economically viable and results in the enrichment of safrole in essential oils extracted from plants is of great interest for oil producers. The increasing demand for safrole in the external and internal markets has been encouraging the search for alternative and renewable sources of this raw material. In Brazil, plant species belonging to genus Piper (family Piperaceae) have been given attention in the recent years due to the high safrole content present in the essential oil extracted from them.

The present invention describes the operation of adsorption and desorption in activated charcoal, in fixed bed and at atmospheric pressure, as a step of concentrating safrole in the essential oil of plants belonging to family Lauraceae or plants from the family Piperaceae.

The process for enrichment of safrole described in this invention uses a mixture that contains safrole resulting from the extraction of safrole from plants belonging to family

Lauraceae or plants from family Piperaceae, and comprises the following steps:

a) adsorbing the mixture containing safrole in activated charcoal;

b) desorbing, using a solvent, the mixture containing safrole that was adsorbed in activated charcoal. Adsorption is carried out by contacting the mixture containing safrole with the activated charcoal. In order to adsorption occurs, this contact should be carried out at a temperature of 15°C to 3O⁰C (59⁰F to 86⁰F). The contact between the mixture containing safrole and the activated charcoal in the adsorption process can be done by passing, through the activated charcoal, a continuous flow of the mixture containing safrole. This passage of a continuous flow of the mixture through the activated charcoal must occur at a temperature of 15⁰C to 3O⁰C (59⁰C to 86⁰C). The passage through the activated charcoal of this continuous flow of the mixture containing safrole can be facilitated with the use of a pump. The activated charcoal used in the adsorption step may be arranged in various ways, but preferentially, the activated charcoal is packed into column, through which the mixture containing safrole flows.

The desorption step, which occurs after the adsorption of the mixture containing safrole, is carried out by contacting the solvent with the activated charcoal containing the adsorbed material. The contact between the solvent with the charcoal in the desorption process can also be made by passing , a continuous flow of solvent through the activated charcoal. This passage of a continuous flow of solvent through the activated charcoal may be provided using a pump. The activated charcoal used in the desorption step may be arranged in various ways, but preferably, the activated charcoal is packed into a column, by which occurs the passage of the solvent. Any solvent that provides the elution of the adsorbed safrole from activated charcoal can be used, but preferably, alcoholic solvents are used, and even more preferably, ethanol is used. In the end of the process for enrichment of safrole, a mixture comprising essential oil is obtained. The mixture obtained in the end of the enrichment process may comprise essential oil and an alcoholic solvent. Preferably, the mixture obtained in the end of the enrichment process comprises essential oil and an alcoholic solvent. The essential oil present in the mixture obtained in the end of the process for enrichment of safrole comprises safrole. The essential oil present in the mixture obtained in the end of the process for enrichment of safrole also comprises safrole and terpinolene.

The present invention refers to the essential oil obtained by the process of adsorption and desorption described in this document. The present invention still refers to the essential oil comprising safrole obtained by the process of adsorption and desorption described in this document. This invention also refers to the essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene obtained by the process of adsorption and desorption described in this document. The essential oil referred in this document is dissolved in an alcoholic solvent, so that, preferentially, the essential oil referred in this invention, is dissolved in ethanol. This invention still refers to a process for enrichment of safrole which comprises the use of the enrichment process previously described containing the steps of adsorption and desorption.

In a performance the present invention, the enrichment of safrole was carried out obtained with a mixture containing essential oil from long pepper provided from distillation mills located in the State of Acre. The embodiment of the invention here demonstrated should be used as one form of carrying out the present invention, and should not be done to diminish its scope of protection. The samples were obtained by applying the steam distillation method to leaves and thin branches. The essential oil sample was conveyed by air to the "Faculdade de Engenharia Quimica, Laboratόrio de Processus em Meios Porosos" (LPMP) and, immediately upon arriving, was stored in a fridge at a temperature of approximately 5⁰C (41⁰F). On average, 30 compounds were detected by chromatographic assay. The prevailing compounds in the mixture extracted from long pepper were safrole and terpinolene. The purity of safrole and terpinolene in the extracted essential oil is shown in Table 2 below.

Table 2 - Purity of the main components of essential oil from long pepper Terpinolene Safrole Others

3.42% 84.73 % 1 1.85%

Activated charcoal, obtained from bone matter and used as an adsorbent, was acquired in BONECHAR - "Carvao ativado do Brasil" - having a carbon content of 9 to 1 1%. This adsorbent exhibited, as its characteristics: mean particle size, obtained by granulometric assay, equal to 0.0495 mm; specific mass equal to 1 190 kg/m³ (obtained by gas pycnometry); specific area of 96300 m²/kg (obtained by BET), mean pore size of 22 nm and particle porosity of 0.153, both obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

The adsorption system employed, shown in

Figure 2, was comprised of a stainless steel column 4 packed with activated charcoal, wherein column 4 has 1.04 cm in diameter and 20.0 cm in length, whose void fraction, taking into account the presence of the adsorbent, was of 0.364. In order to provide the flow rate of the mixture containing safrole for the column, a peristaltic pump 3, model BP-HL 2, trademark NOVA was used, which allows for a flow rate range from 1.2 to 6.4 cmVmin.

For the characterization of the components (safrole and terpinolene) and the concentrations thereof following the adsorption, safrole (CAS 94-59-7) and terpinolene (CAS 586- 62-9) chromatographic patterns were utilized. Such products were acquired with Aldrich having contents of 99 % and 90 %.

The chromatographic assay of the essential oil was carried out in a gas chromatograph from trademark HP5890 II, in a capillary column HP-20M (Carbovax 20M) with 50 meters in length, in order to determinate the fractions from the main components contained in the essential oil. The detector used in this equipment was the flame ionization detector (FID). The heating was of 6 °C/minute (42.8 ⁰C), starting at 75 ⁰C (167 ⁰F) and ending at 210 ⁰C (410 ⁰F). The carrier gas, helium, was injected in a flow of 1 mL/minute. The volume of oil used for the assay was of 0.5 microliters. The duration time of the assay for the essential oil was of 28.5 minutes. Essential oil was injected by a microsyringe and the results were obtained in a HP printer. The programming for carrying out the assay used the procedure described by Santos et al. (Santos e col., Process Biochemistry, 39, 2269-2275, 2004). For the qualitative analysis of the essential oil and the products from the synthesis, the standard compound and, subsequently, the sample possibly containing the compound to be determined were injected. In the quantitative assay, the external standard methodology was used, in which a solution having a known concentration of the reference compound was injected. Then, the corresponding peak area was measured in the chromatogram. Without changing assay conditions, an equal volume of the sample containing the analyte of unknown concentration was injected in the gas chromatograph. The corresponding peak area was determined in the chromatogram. Because of the identical injected volume, the ratio of the areas is proportional to the concentration. The concentration of safrole in the essential oil occurred by adsorption in the following manner:

1. The adsorbent (activated charcoal) was washed with distilled water.

2. The adsorbent was taken to an oven at 104 ⁰C during 24 hours.

3. The adsorbent was placed on a tray for 12 hours.

4. The adsorption column was packed with the dried adsorbent and cooled.

5. The column was installed in the adsorption system.

6. The flow rate of the solution of the mixture containing safrole was set (1.2 mL/min; 3.4 niL/min; 6.4 mL/min).

7. Adsorption time was set to 60 minutes. 8. The mixture containing safrole was pumped in the column.

9. Aliquots of the refined product were collected in the sample vial.

10. The adsorption operation was interrupted after 60 minutes.

1 1. The refined oil was analyzed by chromatographic assay.

The removal of safrole and other compounds adsorbed in activated charcoal occurred by desorption in the following manner:

1. In the adsorption system, feeding was changed to ethanol.

2. The feed flow rate of the solvent was set (1.2 mL/min; 3.4 mL/min; 6.4 mL/min).

3. Desorption time was set to 60 minutes.

4. The solvent was pumped in the column.

5. Aliquots of the refined product were collected in the sample vial. 6. The desorption operation was interrupted after 60 minutes.

7. Aliquots were analyzed by chromatographic assay.

Table 3 below shows the concentrations, in g/ml, of the main components present in the mixture containing safrole before adsorption, while Table 4 shows the purity (in %) of each specie for this situation. For performance analysis purposes, Table 5 is shown containing the concentration values, in g/ml, of the main components present in the adsorbent after adsorption. Table 6 shows the purity (in %) of each specie for this situation. As can be seen in Tables 3 to 6, adsorption was carried out by using flow rates of the mixture containing safrole from 1.2 ml/min, 3.4 ml/min, and 6.4 ml/min.

Table 3 - Concentrations of the components in the essential oil (mg/ml)

Table 4 - initial % of compounds present in the essential oil from long pepper

Table 5 - Concentrations of components in the adsorbent (g/ml)

Table 6 - final % of compounds adsorbed in activated charcoal

The enrichment of safrole in the mixture containing safrole can also be tracked by viewing one of the chromatograms obtained in this proposal, as shown in Figure 3. The chromatograms show the concentration of Safrole in the mixture containing Safrole before adsorption (a) and after adsorption (b).

After the adsorption process, the essential oil feeding was changed to solvent feeding (ethanol, HPLC grade) for removing the adsorbed compounds by passing the solvent through the column. The amount of solvent used for each assay, ranging the feed flow rate from 1.2 mL/min; 3.4 mL/min; 6.4 mL/min, was of 80 mL. It should be pointed out that a higher volume of ethanol was used in the feeding of 6.4 mL/min due to the high ethanol feeding flow rate.

Table 7 shows the concentrations of the main components present in the alcohol solution (ethanol) after desorption carried out in three different flow rates (1.2 mL/min, 3.4 mL/min, 6.4 mL/min), while the Table 8 shows the purity (%) of each specie after desorption with ethanol. For performance analysis purposes, it should be pointed out that the values of the concentrations of the main components present in the adsorbent after desorption were zero, which represents a 100 % recovery of the compounds adsorbed by the activated charcoal contained in the column. Table 7 - Concentration of the main components present in the ethanol solution

Table 8 - final % of compounds desorbed by ethanol.

A good performance of the adsorption of safrole using activated charcoal was ascertained, with an 90% adsorption of this compound above its initial concentration. A significant increase on the purity of safrole (present in the adsorbent) was observed, when compared to the one present in the essential oil in its natural form. This results from the good affinity between safrole and the activated charcoal; observing the inverse phenomenon in the case of the other compounds originally present in the essential oil in its natural form. Furthermore, by means of the present study, it was found that adsorption can be used without including any other step in the pre-concentration of safrole in the essential oil, as well as does not use any solvent for feeding the solution, which means, the process starts with the essential oil itself in its natural form.

The results obtained in the adsorption may be compared with the results obtained in the redistillation of essential' oil carried out by Pimentel, F.A. (Pimentel, F.A., Comunicado tecnico n.148, Embrapa / AC, 2001). In Figure 4, the results obtained by the adsorption and the redistillation of the essential oil from long pepper are compared (Piper hispidinervium C. DC). Through the analysis of the shown results, it was found that adsorption is more advantageous than distillation regarding the purity of the resulting safrole. It can be noted that in adsorption, operating time was lower than the one obtained by distillation. In adsorption, the final product of highest concentration was obtained in 60 minutes, while in distillation the product of highest concentration was obtained in 210 minutes. Concentration of safrole in the essential oil was higher than the one obtained in distillation. It should also be pointed out that the energy spent in distillation is much superior to the one of adsorption. The final product from the adsorption was less likely to undergo chemical reaction by means of the temperature reached in distillation process (105 ⁰C / 221 ⁰F), while in adsorption, the average temperature was of 22 ⁰C (71.6 ⁰F) The product from adsorption, shown in the comparison of Figure 4, was obtained with an essential oil flow rate of 6.4 mL/min and an activated charcoal particle size of 0.495 mm.

Claims

1. A process for enrichment of safrole from a mixture containing safrole resulting from the extraction of safrole from plants belonging to family Lauraceae or plants from family Piperaceae, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

a) adsorbing the mixture containing safrole in activated charcoal;

b) desorbing, by using a solvent, the mixture containing safrole that was adsorbed in activated charcoal.

2 . Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 1 , characterized in that in the adsorption step, adsorption is carried out by contacting the mixture containing safrole with the activated charcoal.

3. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 2, characterized by the contact of the mixture containing safrole with the activated charcoal at a temperature of 15 ⁰C to 30 ⁰C (59 ⁰F to 86 ⁰F).

4. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 2, characterized by the contact between the mixture containing safrole and the activated charcoal carried out by passing, through the activated charcoal, a continuous flow of the mixture containing safrole.

5. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 4, characterized by the passage, through the activated charcoal, of a continuous flow of the mixture containing safrole at a temperature of 15 ⁰C to 30⁰C (59 ⁰F to 86 ⁰F).

6. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized by the continuous flow of the mixture containing safrole with the use of a pump.

7. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by the activated charcoal used in the adsorption step is packed in a column.

8. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 1, characterized by in the desorption step, desorption is carried out by contacting the solvent with the activated charcoal.

9. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 8, characterized by the contact between the solvent and the activated charcoal that is carried out by passing, through the activated charcoal, a continuous flow of solvent.

10. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 9, characterized by a the continuous flow of solvent obtained with the use of a pump.

1 1. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized by the use of ethanol as a solvent.

12. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 8 to 1 1, characterized by the desorption step, where, the activated charcoal is packed in a column.

13. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by the acquisition of mixture comprising essential oil.

14. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 13, characterized by the mixture comprising essential oil and an alcoholic solvent.

15. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to claim 14, characterized by the use of ethanol as an alcoholic solvent.

16. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized by the fact that the essential oil comprises safrole.

17. Process for enrichment of safrole, according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized by the fact that the essential oil comprises terpinolene and safrole.

18. Essential oil, characterized by the fact that it is obtained by means of a process as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12.

19. Essential oil comprising safrole, characterized by the fact that it is obtained by means of a process as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12.

20. Essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene, characterized by the fact that it is obtained by means of a process as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12.

21. Essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene dissolved in an alcoholic solvent, characterized by the fact that it is obtained by means of a process as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12.

22. Essential oil comprising safrole and terpinolene dissolved in ethanol, characterized by the fact that it is obtained by means of a process as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12.

23. Process for enrichment of safrole, characterized by the fact that it comprises the use of the process of enrichment as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12.