Abstract

COMPOSITION OF ESSENTIAL OIL FROM FLOWERS OF CORDIA BOISSIERI A.DC. AND REVISION ON THE USE OF SESQUITERPENES AS TAXONOMIC MARKERS FOR GENUS CORDIA

*Asmaa I. Owis

ABSTRACT

Investigation of hydro-distilled essential oil from flowers of Cordia boissieri A.DC. (Boraginaceae), grown in Egypt, was carried out by GC and GC-MS. Forty-two volatile compounds were identified representing 97.7% of the essential oil. The oil yield expressed on a dry weight basis was 0.21%. The main compounds determined were (-)-spathulenol (19.1%) and (E)-caryophyllene (16.2%). Sesquiterpenes were found to be the predominant class (78.6%). Revision on the use of sesquiterpenes as chemotaxonomic markers for the genus Cordia was performed. It was found that sesquiterpenes are of common occurrence among many species of Cordia in high concentrations but we can't use them as chemotaxonomic markers for the genus.

Keywords: Cordia boissieri, Boraginaceae, essential oil composition, (-)-spathulenol, (E)-caryophyllene, taxonomic marker.