Fragrant volatile oil composition of Nutmeg Geranium (Pelargonium × fragrans Willd.) from India

Abstract

Hydrodistilled essential oil of ‘Nutmeg Geranium’ (Pelargonium × fragrans Willd.), grown in foothills of northern India was analysed by capillary gas chromatography (GC/flame ionisation detector (FID)) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 51 constituents, representing 90.2% of the total oil composition were identified. The oil was mainly dominated by monoterpenoids (58.4%), followed by sesquiterpenoids (19.4%), and phenyl propanoids (10.1%). Major constituents of the essential oil were fenchone (10.7%), methyl eugenol (9.9%), α-pinene (9.4%), α-thujene (7.6%), limonene (6.4%), spathulenol (4.7%), sabinene (4.3%), linalool (4.2%), (E)-caryophyllene (4.2%), terpinen-4-ol (3.2%), β-pinene (2.9%), caryophyllene oxide (2.2%) and bicyclogermacrene (2.1%). This is the first report on essential oil composition of Nutmeg Geranium oil grown in India.

Keywords:

• Pelargonium × fragrans
• Geraniaceae
• essential oil composition
• fenchone
• methyl eugenol

Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the Director, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for providing necessary facilities and encouragement.