Constituents of Some Essential Oil Bearing Plants from Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract The essential oils isolated from the air-dried leaves of four Nigerian plants of Commiphora kerstingii Engl (Burseraceae), Mangifera indica L., (Anacardiaceae), Callitris glauca R. Br. ex R.T. Baker. et H.G. Smith (Cupressaceae) and Ficus mucosa Welw. ex Ficalho (Moraceae), were analyzed for their constituents by GC and GC/MS. The volatile oil of Com. kerstingii contained (Z)-α-bisabolene (34.9%), β-bisabolene (9.3%), linalool (8.7%) and trans-α-bergamotene (7.9%) as the major constituents. On the other hand, the leaf oil of M. indica possessed a considerable proportion of α-gurjunene (23.6%), β-selinene (20.6%), β-caryophyllene (11.2%) and α-humulene (10.8%), while C. glauca had an abundance of α-pinene (19.6%) and limonene (13.1%). In addition, β-caryophyllene (37.0%), ethyl octanoate (14.9%) and methyl octanoate (8.3%) were the compounds occurring in higher percentages in the leaf oil of F. mucosa.