Chemical composition of essential oils of leaves and flowers from five cultivars of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.)

Abstract

The composition of essential oils extracted from leaves and flowers of five selected cultivars of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) growing in the same orchard was determined by GC/MS at the full bloom time. Yields of essential oil by hydrodistillation ranged from 1.2 to 3.2 g·kg⁻¹ of leaf fresh weight, while flower essential oil yield was comprised between 1.2 and 4.4 g·kg⁻¹. Fifty-one compounds were identified with a percentage of corresponding peak ranging from 94.3 to 99.8% of the total. The main components of the essential oils were 1,8-cineole, linalool, and α-terpineol. Dihydroeugenyl-butanoate was the main component of the flower oil of the ‘Daniela' cultivar with a rate of 19.45%, while in the ‘Barbara' flower oil reached the 21.24%. This compound was not previously detected in the essential oils of myrtle, as well as the dihydroeugenyl-pentanoate, which ranged from 1.40 to 6.82% when detected. Other main compounds of the essential oils were α-pinene, limonene, bornyl-acetate, eugenol, geranyl-acetate, and methyl-eugenol.

Keywords:

• medicinal and aromatic plants
• Mediterranean maquis
• genetic resources
• domestication
• cultivation

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Zedda Piras that allowed the sampling of the myrtle leaves and flowers from their experimental plot. The research was partially supported by the PYRGI project funded by European Union Special Grant Italy-France Marittimo, and by the Regione Autonoma della Sardegna Special Grant LR 7/2007–2012: ‘The myrtle: genetics and metabolomics, an integrated approach for industry development’.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Regione Autonoma della Sardegna [grant number LR 7/2007-2012 - METAMIRTO Project]; European Union [grant number Italy-France Marittimo - PYRGI Project].