Chemical investigation of the essential oil from berries and needles of common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) growing wild in Estonia

Abstract

The essential oils obtained by simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE) from the fresh and dried needles and dried berries of Juniperus communis L. of Estonian origin were subjected to GC-FID and GC–MS analyses. The yields of the oils ranged between 0.2% and 0.6% from juniper berries and between 0.5% and 1.0% from needles (dried weight). A total of 87 compounds were identified, representing over 95% of the oil. The major compounds in the needle oil were monoterpenes α-pinene (33.3–45.6%), sabinene (0.2–15.4%), limonene (2.8–4.6%) and sesquiterpenes (E)-β-caryophyllene (0.8–10.3%), α-humulene (0.8–6.2%) and germacrene D (3.0–7.8%). The juniper berry oil was rich in α-pinene (53.6–62.3%), β-myrcene (6.5–6.9%) and germacrene D (4.5–6.1%). The main oxygenated terpenoids found in the needle oil were germacrene D-4-ol (0.4–4.0%) and α-cadinol (to 2.7%). The oil from fresh needles contained high amounts of (E)-2-hexenal (3.7–11.7%).

Keywords:

• Juniperus communis L.
• Cupressaceae
• common juniper
• needles and berries
• essential oil
• α-pinene