Aromatic Waters Overview

Aromatic Water

• Aromatic waters are clear, aqueous solutions saturated with volatile oils or other aromatic substances.
• They are saturated solutions typically of volatile oils or similar substances dissolved in distilled water.
• They are not therapeutically potent due to the low proportion of the active ingredient.

Examples of Aromatic Waters

• Orange oil
• Flower oil
• Peppermint oil
• Rose oil
• Anise oil
• Spearmint oil
• Wintergreen oil
• Camphor
• Chloroform

Aromatic Water Uses

• Used as intermediate solutions for manufacturing other preparations and as the liquid phase for emulsions and suspensions.
• Used as a flavouring agent for administering water-soluble drugs (where taste masking is not a concern).
• Odours and tastes come from the volatile substances used to prepare them.
• Some aromatic waters (e.g., peppermint and anise) have carminative properties.

Topical Aromatic Water Uses

• Rose Water: Perfume
• Hamamelis Water (Witch Hazel): Astringent
• Camphor Water: Rubefacient (dilates skin vessels), reduces skin itching, and eye wash

Preparation of Aromatic Water

• Most aromatic substances have low solubility in water, even if the water is saturated.
• Common methods include distillation, solution, and alternate solutions.
• Concentrated aromatic principles containing alcohol or solubilizing agents are common.
• Concentrates are diluted with water before use.

Chloroform Water N.F. Preparation

• Prepared by a solution method.
• No clarification is needed; excess chloroform should remain in the bottle.
• Chloroform is heavier than water.
• High chloroform volatility creates equilibrium, maintaining strength via evaporation.
• The bottle should be vigorously shaken before dispensing, and only the supernatant liquid should be used.

Peppermint Water

• Peppermint oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons (typically terpenes), alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, and ketones.
• Terpenes are the least water-soluble components, mainly removed by filtration (clarification).
• Terpeneless oils (aroma carriers) are prepared via fractional distillation or extraction; they are stronger in aroma and more soluble and stable than natural essential oils, although more expensive.

Dilution

• Concentrated aromatic waters are prepared to avoid the difficulties in clarifying aromatic water.
• They are designed to be diluted with purified water as needed.
• Rose water can be diluted by mixing an equal volume of concentrated rose water with water.

Preparation of Concentrated Aromatic Water

• An alcoholic solution (50-55% alcohol) of the essential oil is mixed with water and talc, agitated, and filtered after several hours.
• Diluted aromatic water is prepared by diluting 2mL of the concentrated aromatic solution to 100mL with water. The resulting solution has less than 1.5% alcohol.

Stability of Aromatic Waters

• Aromatic waters are not very stable.
• Improper storage can lead to instability, with some waters supporting mold growth.
• Exposure to light and temperature changes can cause characteristic loss, as well as aroma loss upon high-temperature exposure.
• Temperature decreases can lead to volatile material separation, causing cloudiness.
• Addition of water solutions with strong electrolytes can 'salt out' volatile substances, potentially causing a burning taste in the first dose.
• Adsorption of aromatic substances by suspended matter can cause a loss of flavor when used in the external phase of dispersions.
• Oxidative degradation involving dissolved atmospheric oxygen with aroma-bearing solutes can be catalyzed by light and trace metals like iron and copper.

Special Care for Aromatic Waters

• Chloroform water is stored in light-resistant bottles because light catalyzes the oxidation of chloroform to the poisonous gas phosgene.
• Almond water can deposit benzoic acid crystals due to benzaldehyde auto-oxidation.
• Waters prepared aseptically with recently boiled, filtered purified water in sterilized, resistant glass containers remain stable for a year.