Terpenoids of the Swamp Cypress Subfamily (Taxodioideae), Cupressaceae, an Overview by GC-MS

Abstract

The resins bled from stems and in seed cones and leaves of <i>Cryptomeria japonica,</i> <i>Glyptostrobus</i> <i>pensilis</i>, <i>Taxodium distichum</i><i>,</i> and <i>T.</i> <i>mucronatum</i> were characterized to provide an overview of their major natural product compositions. The total solvent extract solutions were analyzed as the free and derivatized products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the compounds, which comprised minor mono- and sesquiterpenoids, and dominant di- and triterpenoids, plus aliphatic lipids (e.g., <i>n</i>-nonacosan-10-ol). Ferruginol, 7α-p-cymenylferruginol, and chamaecydin were the major characteristic markers for the Taxodioideae conifer subfamily. The mass spectrometric data can aid polar compound elucidation in environmental, geological, archeological, forensic and pharmaceutical studies.