# A Survey of Commercial Pine Turpentine Essential Oil Products from the Turkish Market and Their Compliance with European Pharmacopoeia 10.0

## TL;DR

This study analyzed 14 pine turpentine essential oils from Turkey and found none met European Pharmacopoeia quality standards, highlighting the need for stricter regulations.

## Contribution

The study provides a first-time evaluation of Turkish pine turpentine oils against European Pharmacopoeia standards.

## Key findings

- None of the 14 pine turpentine essential oil samples met the European Pharmacopoeia quality criteria.
- Phytochemical analysis revealed significant variability in the composition of the samples.
- Pharmacies are suggested as more reliable sources for high-quality essential oils.

## Abstract

Pine turpentine essential oil (PTEO) obtained from Pinus pinaster Ait. is known to be used in many fields such as medicine, cosmetics, agriculture, and art. The medicinal use of essential oils puts pressure on industry to produce high-quality products. Pure essential oils derived from natural sources are mistakenly recognized as safe on the grounds of their natural origin. Unless they meet international standards, their safety remains questionable. Therefore, in this study, it was aimed to evaluate the quality of 14 different pine turpentine essential oil samples purchased from various sources on the Turkish market, based on the legally recognized pharmacopoeia in Türkiye, the European Pharmacopoeia (EP). As stated in the “Turpentine Oil” monograph, appearance, relative density, refractive index, optical rotation, acid value, peroxide value, fatty oils, and resinified essential oils analyses were performed for each sample. Additionally, phytochemical profiles were analyzed by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results revealed that none of the samples were compliant with EP standards. With this in mind, it is found necessary to impose strict regulations on the production of commercial essential oils. Nevertheless, pharmacies emerge as preferable options for obtaining such products.