Review of aromatic and medicinal plants, edited by D. J. Cousins, CAB International, Wallingford,...
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336 BOOK REVIEWS they will be able to use their creativity. This applies not only to functional perfumery, but also to fine fragrances where the studies of the raw materials evaporation/ tenacity on skin needs perfumer and chemist team- work. ‘The challenge of new materials’ is rather scantily covered (considering their importance over the years to the creation of novel perfume effects), but is good as far as it goes. The lack of interest in using new materials relates to many perfumers taking the easy way out and making twists of existing perfumes. The enthusiasm of using new materials is part of the inherent creativity of a perfumer. ‘Constraint to creation’, Chapter XV, has a lot of useful data necessary for the perfumer in today’s en- vironment. The role of the perfumer and evaluator is an interesting subject dealt with in Chapter XVI. The role of the salesman is surprisingly not included. Part V deals with ‘Scientific fundamentals’ and Chap- ters XVII and XVIII cover some of the basic chemistry in perfumery and many of the chemical reactions that can take place. Chapter XIX and XX introduce the student to certain technical explanations on subjects dealt with in earlier chapters. In Appendix B, page 258, the aldehyde structure is incorrect, as is the structure for musk ketone on page 260. The ‘Bibliography’ is rather limited for a student perfumer and surprisingly the ‘General index’ does not list cologne, fougkre, powdery and oriental. To conclude, this is a well-written book by authors with much knowledge of the perfumery industry, and although both working for the same company, they have cited a good cross-section of materials available within the industry. Such a pity that the ‘Preface’ begins with the exaggerated importance of GLC, rather than ‘Perfumery is the art of creating pleasurable and mean- ingful odour experiences’ as they write in Preface X. A good read! ANTHONY MORR~S Firmenich SA, Geneva REVIEW OF AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS, edited by D. J. Cousins, CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8DE, UK, 1995 This is the latest abstract journal from the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International. The first issue of the bimonthly journal contains 509 abstracts. These are classified under: new periodicals; books; reports; conferences; general; botany; horti- culture; chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutics; and biological activity. This is followed by author and subject indexes. Before the abstracts there is a diary of forthcoming meetings and a list of new books. In the chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutics sec- tion, there is a subsection on essential oil, flavour and fragrance chemistry. In the first issue (February 1995) this contains thirty abstracts including six from the July-August 1994 issue of the Flavour and Fragrance Journal (another paper from this issue is abstracted elsewhere). The abstracts appear to be edited versions of the authors’ abstract from the original papers. The annual subscription for the printed journal (six issues per year) for CAB International member coun- tries is f100.00 and for the floppy disk f120.00. There is a special 10% introductory discount available on both versions. ROGER STEVENS Threlkeld, UK AROMATlC PLANTS AND ESSENTIAL CONSTITUENTS, Zhu Liangfeng Li, Yonghua Li, Baoling Lu Biyao and Xia Nianhe, South China Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hai Feng Publishing Co. (Peace Book Co. Ltd, Hong Kong), 1993. No. of pages: 344, price HK$180.00. ISBN 962-238-1 12-X. According to the authors this is the first of two volumes dealing with the essential oils of Chinese plants, both those endemic to China and those intro- duced from elsewhere. Following a very brief introduction dealing with analytical methods and with China’s essential oil resources the book is divided into four chapters: Fragrances and Flavours, Medicinal Aromatic Plants, Aromatic Flower and Fruits and Other Aromatic Plants. This is followed by a short list of References and an alphabetical Index of Species. Colour photo- graphs of 43 of the approximately 270 species dis- cussed are included at the front of the book. For each species the authors include a botanical descrip- tion, its geographic distribution and its uses as well as a gas chromatographic trace with peak identifications and percentages. Despite its wealth of novel information the reviewer found the book rather disappointing. First of all the title is misleading [the word ‘oil’ is missing after ‘essen- tial’]: it does not deal with the essential oils of aromatic plants in general but exclusively with those obtained from plants growing in China. Also, the book appears to consist of a collection of short reports of previously
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Transcript of Review of aromatic and medicinal plants, edited by D. J. Cousins, CAB International, Wallingford,...
336 BOOK REVIEWS
they will be able to use their creativity. This applies not only to functional perfumery, but also to fine fragrances where the studies of the raw materials evaporation/ tenacity on skin needs perfumer and chemist team- work.
‘The challenge of new materials’ is rather scantily covered (considering their importance over the years to the creation of novel perfume effects), but is good as far as it goes. The lack of interest in using new materials relates to many perfumers taking the easy way out and making twists of existing perfumes. The enthusiasm of using new materials is part of the inherent creativity of a perfumer.
‘Constraint to creation’, Chapter XV, has a lot of useful data necessary for the perfumer in today’s en- vironment. The role of the perfumer and evaluator is an interesting subject dealt with in Chapter XVI. The role of the salesman is surprisingly not included.
Part V deals with ‘Scientific fundamentals’ and Chap- ters XVII and XVIII cover some of the basic chemistry
in perfumery and many of the chemical reactions that can take place. Chapter XIX and XX introduce the student to certain technical explanations on subjects dealt with in earlier chapters. In Appendix B, page 258, the aldehyde structure is incorrect, as is the structure for musk ketone on page 260.
The ‘Bibliography’ is rather limited for a student perfumer and surprisingly the ‘General index’ does not list cologne, fougkre, powdery and oriental.
To conclude, this is a well-written book by authors with much knowledge of the perfumery industry, and although both working for the same company, they have cited a good cross-section of materials available within the industry. Such a pity that the ‘Preface’ begins with the exaggerated importance of GLC, rather than ‘Perfumery is the art of creating pleasurable and mean- ingful odour experiences’ as they write in Preface X.
A good read! ANTHONY MORR~S
Firmenich SA, Geneva
REVIEW OF AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS, edited by D. J. Cousins, CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8DE, UK, 1995
This is the latest abstract journal from the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International. The first issue of the bimonthly journal contains 509 abstracts. These are classified under: new periodicals; books; reports; conferences; general; botany; horti- culture; chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutics; and biological activity. This is followed by author and subject indexes. Before the abstracts there is a diary of forthcoming meetings and a list of new books. In the chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutics sec- tion, there is a subsection on essential oil, flavour and
fragrance chemistry. In the first issue (February 1995) this contains thirty abstracts including six from the July-August 1994 issue of the Flavour and Fragrance Journal (another paper from this issue is abstracted elsewhere). The abstracts appear to be edited versions of the authors’ abstract from the original papers.
The annual subscription for the printed journal (six issues per year) for CAB International member coun- tries is f100.00 and for the floppy disk f120.00. There is a special 10% introductory discount available on both versions.
ROGER STEVENS Threlkeld, UK
AROMATlC PLANTS AND ESSENTIAL CONSTITUENTS, Zhu Liangfeng Li, Yonghua Li, Baoling Lu Biyao and Xia Nianhe, South China Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hai Feng Publishing Co. (Peace Book Co. Ltd, Hong Kong), 1993. No. of pages: 344, price HK$180.00. ISBN 962-238-1 12-X.
According to the authors this is the first of two volumes dealing with the essential oils of Chinese plants, both those endemic to China and those intro- duced from elsewhere.
Following a very brief introduction dealing with analytical methods and with China’s essential oil resources the book is divided into four chapters: Fragrances and Flavours, Medicinal Aromatic Plants,
Aromatic Flower and Fruits and Other Aromatic Plants. This is followed by a short list of References and an alphabetical Index of Species. Colour photo- graphs of 43 of the approximately 270 species dis- cussed are included at the front of the book. For each species the authors include a botanical descrip- tion, its geographic distribution and its uses as well as a gas chromatographic trace with peak identifications and percentages.
Despite its wealth of novel information the reviewer found the book rather disappointing. First of all the title is misleading [the word ‘oil’ is missing after ‘essen- tial’]: it does not deal with the essential oils of aromatic plants in general but exclusively with those obtained from plants growing in China. Also, the book appears to consist of a collection of short reports of previously
