Angelica archangelica L.

Sammanfattning: Angelica archangelica (Garden angelica) is the only Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) with a Nordic origin. The plant can reach up to three meters when cultivated. Angelica archangelica is used as flavouring in additives, honey, beverage base, essential oils, fol-klore medicine and as ornamental for decorative purposes. Commercial cultivation is mainly focused on root production. Production countries are Poland, Netherland, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and former Czechoslovakia with an overall yearly world production of 1000 kg of essential oils. Compounds to be found in A.archangelica are bittering agents, essential oils, flavonoids, tanning agents, resins, silica, carbohydrates, coumarins, organic acids and terpenes. Essential oils derived from angelica root are composed of over 60 different constituents. β−phellandrene and α−pinene have the highest concentration in root oil but sabiene, myrcene, limonene, 3−carene and p−cymene are also found in large amounts. In year 2000 the global market of herbal products was US$ 60 000 million. Developing countries are the main producer of MAP in the world, but the largest market is in devel-oped countries, especially Europe. Interests of locally produced MAPs are growing, and advantages of having a European production are many. A Scandinavian production could be possible, but also problematic, since facts differ greatly in studied literature. The purpose of this thesis was to write a literature study about A.archangelica, and let a forgotten plant be reintroduced in Scandinavia. There is definitely a great need of more research concerning A.archangelica. There is no ongoing commercial production of A.archangelica in Scandinavia, except on Iceland.