Chemical and Biological Studies of<i>Xylopia longifolia</i>A. DC. Essential Oils

Abstract

ABSTRACT The essential oils from several parts of Xylopia longifolia A. DC., Annonaceae (roots, bark, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds) have been examined by GC and GC/MS, and screened for bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities. The main components of each oil have been identified. The fruits were rich in essential oil (1.8%) where the major compounds were found to be α-phellandrene (19.2%), limonene (12.2%) and p-cymene (18.7%). The same major constituents were found in the seed oil. The major constituents of the flower oil were p-cymene (26.9%) and spathulenol (36.1%), while the leaf oil contained α-pinene (10.1%) and trans-pinocarveol (10.1%). The major component of the root oil was also trans-pinocarveol (10.8%). The bark oil was rich in bornyl acetate (17.7%) and δ-cadinol (33.8%). It was the only oil that exhibited moderate bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity. The fatty acid content of the seeds and seedless fruit was 40.8% and 32.4% respectively. The major acids of the seeds and seedless fruit were palmitic acid (26.1% and 34.8%) and oleic acid (50.6% and 32.5%) respectively.