Composition of the essential oils of four medicinal plants from Ecuador

Abstract

The composition of the essential oils from leaves of Lepechinia mutica, Satureja glabrata, Minthostachys mollis and Myrcianthes rhopaloides, four species used in traditional medicine in Loja (Ecuador), was investigated by GC-FID and GC-MS. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were the main group of constituents in the essential oil of L. mutica, especially β -phellandrene (30%), whereas oxygenated monoterpenes predominated in the oils of M. mollis and M. rhopaloides, menthone (16%) and geranial (34%), respectively, being the major components. Although the oxygenated monoterpenes dominated the essential oil from S. glabrata (44%), the main constituent of this oil was isocaryophyllene (15%), followed by citronellol (14%) and citronellyl acetate (12%).

Leaf Essential Oil Composition of Three Species of Myrcianthes from Monteverde, Costa Rica

“…Other major components in the leaf essential oil of sample 2 were 1,8-cineole (12.5%), linalool (9.1%), a-cadinol (6.7%), and a-terpineol (4.4%). The chemical compositions of M. rhopaloides leaf oil in this study were very different from M. rhopaloides from Ecuador [5], which was dominated by geranial (33.7%) and neral (25.0%), neither of which were detected in either sample from Monteverde.…”

Chemical composition of essential oils of two species of the Lamiaceae family:Scutellaria volubilisandLepechinia paniculatafrom Loja, Ecuador

“…The compositions of the essential oils of some species of Lepechinia have been reported previously (19)(20)(21)(22)(23); the principal components found in the essential oil of L. paniculata have also been reported in other species like L. conferta from Colombia and Venezuela, the oils from leaves and flowers of L. conferta have been studied showing the main constituents being those of b-phellandrene (9.7% and 11.8%) and aromadendrene (4.5% and 3.6%) (19). bphellandrene (30%) has been identified as the main component in L. mutica from Ecuador which belongs to the monoterpene group (20).…”

“…For instance, they have been found in S. litwinowii oil from Iran (12) and were characterized by high concentrations of (E)-b-farnesene (20.3%) and germacrene D (16.9%). On the other hand, : refraction index at 20°C, 20 : optical activity at 20°C.…”

“…bphellandrene (30%) has been identified as the main component in L. mutica from Ecuador which belongs to the monoterpene group (20). The essential oil of L. schiedeana from Costa Rica has been investigated also with the major constituents found being those of oxygenated monoterpenes like camphor (3.8%) and b-caryophyllene (3.7%) as well as sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, which are a minor component in L. paniculata (21).…”

Ethnobotany, biochemistry and pharmacology of Minthostachys (Lamiaceae)

“…mollis from Ecuador were, in one case, neomenthol (29.3%), menthol (20.6%), menthone (24.0%) and piperitone (9.0%) (Alkire et al, 1994). The oil of another Ecuadorian Minthostachys, tentatively identified as probably an aberrant individual of Minthostachys mollis, contained menthone (16%), carvacryl acetate (10%), pulegone (10%) and carvacrol (9%) (Malagón et al, 2003).…”