Hydrodistillation Boosts the Yield and Bioactivity of Cineole-rich EOs † from Lavandula x allardii: An Industrially Promising Hybrid Lavender

Hydrodistillation Boosts the Yield and Bioactivity of Cineole-rich EOs † from Lavandula x allardii: An Industrially Promising Hybrid Lavender | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Hydrodistillation Boosts the Yield and Bioactivity of Cineole-rich EOs † from Lavandula x allardii: An Industrially Promising Hybrid Lavender Ali Jaber, Alia Khalil, Ahmad Houri, Rana Mourad, Lama Saadeh, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8835040/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Lavender essential oils (EOs) are widely valued in perfumery, cosmetics, and therapeutics due to their bioactive monoterpenes. However, both plant genotype and extraction technique critically influence oil yield, chemical composition, and biological performance, thereby determining industrial value. Comparative investigations examining hydrodistillation versus steam distillation in certain hybrid lavenders remain limited. In this study, leaf EOs from Lavandula angustifolia and the hybrid Lavandula × allardii cultivated in Lebanon were extracted via hydrodistillation and benchmarked against a commercially available EO, industrially produced via steam distillation, and sold in the European market to assess yield, composition, antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activity. Results Hydrodistillation significantly enhanced EO yield, with fresh L. × allardii leaves producing > 5% (w/w) oil, approximately eight-fold higher than L. angustifolia . GC–MS analysis revealed distinct chemotypes: hydrodistilled oils were rich in 1,8-cineole (~ 67–69%), whereas the commercial steam-distilled oil was dominated by linalool and linalyl acetate (~ 27% each) with < 3% cineole. The cineole-rich oils exhibited superior ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), exceeding both the steam-distilled reference and ascorbic acid (p <z0.05). In HT-29 colon cancer cells, hydrodistilled oils demonstrated stronger cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ ≈ 0.45–0.49 µL/mL) compared to the commercial lavender oil (IC₅₀ ≈ 1.5 µL/mL). Furthermore, in LPS-stimulated rat monocytes, they significantly reduced iNOS and COX-2 protein expression, confirming enhanced anti-inflammatory activity. Conclusions The marked compositional shift toward oxygenated monoterpenes (particularly 1,8-cineole) resulting from hydrodistillation appears to underlie the improved antioxidant and biological performance. The hybrid L. × allardii when processed from fresh leaves, emerges as a high-yield , cineole-rich chemotype with strong industrial relevance. Valorization of leaf biomass, often considered a secondary plant fraction, offers a sustainable strategy for producing bioactive lavender oils tailored for cosmetic and therapeutic applications. Lavandula × allardii Chemical composition Biological activity Essential oil Hydrodistillation Steam distillation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 15 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 23 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 02 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 02 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 26 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 20 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 20 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 17 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8835040","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":613784676,"identity":"8195aadd-c2ef-4959-86ba-813d3bcda3cf","order_by":0,"name":"Ali Jaber","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lebanese American University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ali","middleName":"","lastName":"Jaber","suffix":""},{"id":613784677,"identity":"1294ef8f-cd80-4749-a3f0-2184b57d812a","order_by":1,"name":"Alia Khalil","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lebanese American 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00:53:10","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8835040/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8835040/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106095127,"identity":"5442aea0-48d4-4351-ab31-171881268895","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-03 11:44:44","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1124271,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"LavandulaMSFeb2026AYv3.1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8835040/v1_covered_4e6b8a5c-a7c7-4da1-a64b-a9200b94a033.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eHydrodistillation Boosts the Yield and Bioactivity of Cineole-rich EOs † from \u003cem\u003eLavandula x allardii:\u003c/em\u003e An Industrially Promising Hybrid Lavender\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"chemical-and-biological-technologies-in-agriculture","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture](https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/)","snPcode":"40538","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/40538/3","title":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","twitterHandle":"@SpringerPlants","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Lavandula × allardii, Chemical composition, Biological activity, Essential oil, Hydrodistillation, Steam distillation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8835040/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8835040/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLavender essential oils (EOs) are widely valued in perfumery, cosmetics, and therapeutics due to their bioactive monoterpenes. However, both plant genotype and extraction technique critically influence oil yield, chemical composition, and biological performance, thereby determining industrial value. Comparative investigations examining hydrodistillation versus steam distillation in certain hybrid lavenders remain limited. In this study, leaf EOs from \u003cem\u003eLavandula angustifolia\u003c/em\u003e and the hybrid \u003cem\u003eLavandula × allardii\u003c/em\u003e cultivated in Lebanon were extracted via hydrodistillation and benchmarked against a commercially available EO, industrially produced via steam distillation, and sold in the European market to assess yield, composition, antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHydrodistillation significantly enhanced EO yield, with fresh \u003cem\u003eL. × allardii\u003c/em\u003e leaves producing \u003cstrong\u003e\u0026gt; 5%\u003c/strong\u003e (w/w) oil, approximately eight-fold higher than \u003cem\u003eL. angustifolia\u003c/em\u003e. GC–MS analysis revealed distinct chemotypes: hydrodistilled oils were rich in 1,8-cineole (~ 67–69%), whereas the commercial steam-distilled oil was dominated by linalool and linalyl acetate (~ 27% each) with \u0026lt; 3% cineole. The cineole-rich oils exhibited superior ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), exceeding both the steam-distilled reference and ascorbic acid (p \u0026lt;z0.05). In HT-29 colon cancer cells, hydrodistilled oils demonstrated stronger cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ ≈ 0.45–0.49 µL/mL) compared to the commercial lavender oil (IC₅₀ ≈ 1.5 µL/mL). Furthermore, in LPS-stimulated rat monocytes, they significantly reduced iNOS and COX-2 protein expression, confirming enhanced anti-inflammatory activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe marked compositional shift toward oxygenated monoterpenes (particularly 1,8-cineole) resulting from hydrodistillation appears to underlie the improved antioxidant and biological performance. The hybrid \u003cem\u003eL. × allardii\u003c/em\u003e when processed from fresh leaves, emerges as a \u003cem\u003ehigh-yield\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ecineole-rich\u003c/em\u003e chemotype with strong industrial relevance. Valorization of leaf biomass, often considered a secondary plant fraction, offers a sustainable strategy for producing bioactive lavender oils tailored for cosmetic and therapeutic applications.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Hydrodistillation Boosts the Yield and Bioactivity of Cineole-rich EOs † from Lavandula x allardii: An Industrially Promising Hybrid Lavender","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-03 10:05:21","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8835040/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-15T11:45:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-23T12:17:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-02T10:57:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"209058007204374737150335311975240446621","date":"2026-03-02T10:00:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"59327177981944016489464327376446215867","date":"2026-02-28T13:02:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-26T08:23:03+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-02-20T20:42:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-20T17:42:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","date":"2026-02-17T22:17:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"chemical-and-biological-technologies-in-agriculture","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture](https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/)","snPcode":"40538","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/40538/3","title":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","twitterHandle":"@SpringerPlants","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"96af53ae-95e2-4284-8b7b-f459c20dd27f","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 3rd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-04T15:39:36+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-03 10:05:21","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8835040","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8835040","identity":"rs-8835040","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}