Method for production of thymoquinone
A method of producing thymoquinone and/or thymohydroquinone in Monarda by growing Monarda with elevated levels of carvacrol and/or thymol in the fresh plant tissue and vigorous growth, harvesting the Monarda , leaving the Monarda to senesce in the presence of oxygen and extracting the thymoquinone and/or thymohydroquinone from the senesced tissue.
1. A method of producing thymoquinone, comprising the steps of:
(a) cultivating plants of Monarda fistulosa either by planting seed or by transplanting cuttings;
(b) growing said plants of Monarda fistulosa until elevated levels of carvacrol and/or thymol are present in the plants;
(c) cutting said plants during their vegetative stage;
(d) allowing material of said cut plants to senesce in the presence of oxygen.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting thymoquinone from said senesced material.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein allowing senescence increases the level of thymoquinone to between 10% and 40% in oil.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein water is purposely applied to the material at least once over said period of senescence.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein water is applied through exposure to rain.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein water is applied by a method selected from the group consisting of irrigation and spraying either by hand or mechanical application.
7. A method of producing thymoquinone, comprising the steps of:
(a) cultivating plants of Monarda fistulosa either by planting seed or by transplanting cuttings;
(b) growing said plants of Monarda fistulosa until elevated levels of carvacrol and/or thymol are present in the plants;
(c) cutting said plants;
(d) applying water to material of said cut plants.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising collecting thymoquinone from said cut plants.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the application of water increases the level of thymoquinone to between 10% and 40% in oil.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein water is purposely applied at least once prior to collecting thymoquinone from said cut plants.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein water is applied through exposure to rain.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein water is applied by a method selected from the group consisting of irrigation and spraying either by hand or mechanical application.