Chemical composition of Essential Oils from Nigerian Plants

Essential oils obtained by separate hydrodistillation of leaves of three plants collected in Nigeria were analysed comprehensively for their constituents by means of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Germacrene D (28.4%), α-pinene (17.1%), β-caryophyllene (7.5%) and caryophyllene oxide (6.0%) were the major compounds of Aspilia africana (Pers.) C. D. Adams (Asteraceae). The oil of Lippia multiflora Moldenke (Verbenaceae) comprised mainly of sabinene (13.0%), β-caryophyllene (21.8%) and rimuene (14.6%) as dominant compounds, with significant quantity of abietatriene (7.1%), β-pinene (4.0%) and caryophyllene oxide (4.3%). The species is a source of new chemotype. β-Caryophyllene (19.0%) and geranial (10.6%) were identified in higher proportions from Spondias lutea L. (Anacardiaceae), with significant amounts of neral (5.1%), caryophyllene oxide (5.6%) and d-cadinene (4.6%). The paper will discuss further the chemotaxonomic importance of the results

Author(s): Isiaka A. Ogunwande, Olanrewaju Eresanya, Nudewhenu O. Avoseh, Temitope Oyegoke, AbdulRazaq O. Ogunmoye and Guido Flamini

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