Aromatic Plants of Mali (V): Chemical Composition of Essential Oils of Four Eucalyptus Species Implanted in Mali: Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. citriodora, E. torelliana and E. tereticornis

Abstract

The essential oils of four representative varieties of eucalyptus implanted and exploited in Mali were studied. In the oil from Eucalyptus camaldulensis 43 constituents were identified, of which limonene (4.1-10.2%), 1,8-cineole (42.6-64.1%), γ-terpinene (4.8-6.2%), p-cymene (11.6-24.8%), trans-pinocarveol (1.4-4.0%) and α-terpineol (3.7-4.8%) were the most representative. In E. citriodora, of the 18 constituents identified citronnellal and isopulegol were the most abundant (approx. 78% and 6%, respectively). In the oils of E. tereticornis and E. torelliana in which 33 and 31 components were respectively identified, α-pinene (15.6-17.2%), limonene (4.4-6.2%) and 1,8-cineole (58.7-62.0%) predominated in the first, and α-pinene (50.0-52.1%) in the second.

Key Word Index:

• Eucalyptus camaldulensis
• E. citriodora
• E. tereticornis
• E. torelliana
• Corymbia citriodora
• Myrtaceae
• essential oil composition
• α-pinene
• p-cymene
• 1,8-cineole
• citronellal