Compositional Variations in Volatile Constituents of Boenninghausenia albiflora Reichb. from Western Himalaya

TLDR: Variations in essential-oil yield, composition and contents of leaf and root essential-oils of B. albiflora collected from four different climatic locations were compared and significant quantitative variations were noticed.

Abstract: The essential-oil yield and composition of the aerial parts of Boenninghausenia albiflora were analyzed and compared by capillary GC-FID and GC–MS at different stages of growth and on drying prior to distillation. The essential-oil content of the aerial parts was found to vary from 0.15–0.20 % at different phenophases. Essential-oils were mainly composed of sesquiterpenoids (44.62–52.11 %) and monoterpenoids (25.73–45.95 %). Sesquiterpenoids (44.62–52.11 %) portion of essential-oils was represented by germacrene D (4.18–18.21 %), epi-α-cadinol (0.14–16.25 %), β-caryophyllene (4.62–13.14 %), globulol (0.26–9.22 %), and β-copaene-4α-ol (0.14–7.52 %); while β-myrcene (2.09–26.11 %) and β-pinene (8.36–13.77 %) were the major monoterpenoids. Variations in essential-oil yield (0.15–0.20 %), and contents of monoterpene hydrocarbons (19.38–42.59 %), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (15.38–36.92 %) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (9.97–36.73 %) due to different growth stages (vegetative, flowering and seed setting stages) of B. albiflora were noticed. On drying viz. sun and shade drying of the aerial parts of B. albiflora have no drastic influence on essential-ol quality; but significant quantitative variations were noticed. Further, variations in essential-oil composition of leaf and root essential-oils of B. albiflora collected from four different climatic locations were also compared.