Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Baeckea frutescens L.

The volatile components of the leaf oil of Baeckea frutescens L. (Myrtaceae) from the Hatinh Province, Vietnam, were analysed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and co-elution techniques. The identified compounds constituted more than 99.5% of the oil contents. Forty-nine compounds have been characterized among which a-humulene (19.2%), β-caryophyllene (17.3%), baeckeol (13.8%), a-thujene (8.8%), linalool (5.6%) and 1, 8-cineole (5.6%) were the major constituents. This result may represent another chemotype of the oil of B. frutescens.

Aims: Vietnam is a country blessed with many plants whose chemical compounds have not been previously examined. The aim of this research is to investigate the chemical constituents of essential oil of Baeckea frutescens.

Study Design: Extraction of essential oil from the air-dried leaf samples of B. frutescens and investigation of its chemical constituents.

Place and Duration of Study: Mature leaves of B. frutescens were collected from Hatinh Province, Vietnam in October 2013.

Methodology: Air-dried and pulverized leaves were subjected to hydrodistillation in accordance with Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia specification to obtained essential oil. The components of the oil were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and co-elution techniques.

Results: Forty-nine compounds have been characterized among which a-humulene (19.2%), β-caryophyllene (17.3%), baeckeol (13.8%), a-thujene (8.8%), linalool (5.6%) and 1, 8-cineole (5.6%) were the major constituents.

Conclusion: The present oil compositions were found to be different from the results obtained previously from the essential oils of B. frutescens grown in other parts of the world. The present result may represent another chemotype of the oil of B. frutescens.