• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2012

The effects of gamma ray or electron beam irradiation on herbaceous medicinal plants were investigated in terms of the composition of volatile constituents using the aerial parts or leaves of Artemisia princeps Pamp. cv. Ganghwayakssuk and Artemisia argyi cvs. Namhaeyakssuk and Hwanghaessuk. The composition of volatile constituents in leaves was clearly distinguishable among the three Artemisia cultivars. However, the relative proportions of the major volatile constituents such as 1,8-cineole, ${\alpha}$-pinene, camphene, santolina triene, and artemesia triene, were similarly changed in two or three cultivars by gamma ray or electron beam irradiation. In particular, the proportion of 1,8-cineole was increased up to 1.29- to 1.71-fold in the three cultivars after irradiation with gamma ray. These results suggest that gamma ray or electron beam irradiation can be applied to modulate the composition of volatile constituents in the leaves of Artemisia plants.