Essential oil composition of Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski from India

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the potential of an invasive alien species, Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski, that grows in foothill region of northern India. The volatile oil from the aerial parts of S. trilobata was isolated by hydrodistillation method and analysed using capillary gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC–FID) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) during different seasons. Volatile oil yield varied from 0.18 to 0.25% in different seasons, with the maximum in winter season. Altogether, 43 constituents, representing 96.1–97.3% of the total oil composition were identified. Major constituents of the oils were α-pinene (78.6–83.3%), α-phellandrene (1.3–4.1%), sabinene (1.4–1.9%), limonene (1.2–1.9%), β-pinene (1.0–1.6%), camphene (0.7–2.0%), 10-nor-calamenen-10-one (<0.05–1.5%), germacrene D (0.1–1.4%) and γ-amorphene (<0.05–1.3%). The comparative results showed no big differences in the oil composition of this plant due to season of collection. It is concluded that the S. trilobata population grown in this region could be utilized as a potential source of industrial molecule, α-pinene.

Keywords:

• Sphagneticola trilobata
• essential oil composition
• seasonal variation
• α-pinene

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the CSIR for providing financial support under Twelfth Five Year Plan project (BSC0203) and to the Director, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for encouragement.