Composition of Essential Oils from the Leaf and Stem Bark of Michelia foveolata

The chemical constituents of essential oils obtained from the hydrodistillation of the leaf and stem of Michelia foveolata Merr. et Dandy (Magnoliaceae) were being reported. The main compounds of the leaf essential oil are β-caryophyllene (37.1%) and bicyclogermacrene (23.3%). However, β-caryophyllene (26.4%), germacrene D (5.9%), trans-α-bergamotene (5.6%), δ-cadinene (5.5%), bicyclogermacrene (5.4%), bicycloelemene (5.3%), spathulenol (5.3%) and 3,7-guaiadiene (5.1%) were present in the stem.

Aims: The aim of this study was to isolate essential oils from the leaf and stem bark of Michelia foveolataMerr. et Dandy (Magnoliaceae) and investigate the volatile constituents present therein.

Study Design: The study involves the hydrodisitillation of essential oils from the air-dried plant materials and analysis of their chemical composition.

Place and Duration of Study: The leaf and stem bark of M. foveolata were collected from Vũ Quang National Park, Hà Tĩnh Province Vietnam, in July 2014.

Methodology: About 500 g of air-dried plant samples was shredded and their oils were obtained by separate hydrodistillation for 4 h at normal pressure, according to the Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia. The chemical constituents of the distilled oils were analyzed by means of gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Results: The main compounds of the leaf essential oil are β-caryophyllene (37.1%) and bicyclogermacrene (23.3%) while the stem bark contained large amounts of β-caryophyllene (26.4%), germacrene D (5.9%), trans-α-bergamotene (5.6%), δ-cadinene (5.5%), bicyclogermacrene (5.4%), bicycloelemene (5.3%), spathulenol (5.3%) and 3,7-guaiadiene (5.1%).

Conclusion: The present oil compositions were found to be different from the results obtained previously from the essential oils of Michelia species grown in Vietnam and other parts of the world.