Essential Oils of Protium of the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve: Protium crassipetalum, P. heptaphyllum subs. ulei, P. pilosissimum and P. polybotryum

Abstract

The essential oils from samples collected in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve in the state of Amazonas were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The chemical composition of essential oils was characterized by high percentage of sesquiterpenoids. The oils of Protium crassipetalum leaves and branches showed predominance of α-copaene (19.6 and 15.2 %) and trans-caryophyllene (16.4 and 10.1 %), respectively, besides spathulenol (13.9 %), detected in the oil from the leaves. The main constituents in leaves of P. heptaphyllum subs. ulei were α-copaene (11.8 %), trans-caryophyllene (16.9 %) and germacrene B (12.8%). The oils of P. pilosissimum were marked by presence of β-sesquiphellandrene (24.3 %) in leaves and selin-11-en-4-α-ol of branches. Khusimone (35.9 %) was found to be the major constituent in the oil from P. polybotryum. The present study is intended as a contribution to the knowledge of the composition of the essential oils of the aerial parts of this biological reserve. © 2013 Har Krishan Bhalla & Sons.