Analysis of Juniperus communis subsp. alpina needle, berry, wood and root oils by combination of GC, GC/MS and 13C-NMR

Abstract

The essential oils from needles, berries, wood and roots of Juniperus communis L. subsp. alpina were obtained by hydrodistillation, fractionated on column chromatography and analysed by GC, GC-MS and 13C-NMR. Chemical compositions of wood and root oils are reported here for the first time. Eighty-two, 65, 76 and 54 components were identified, respectively, in needle, berry, wood and root oils. The chemical compositions of the essential oils from needles, berries and wood were characterized by a high proportion of monoterpene hydrocarbons. Root oil exhibited a quite different composition. Sesquiterpenes, especially those bearing a tricyclic skeleton (cedrane and longifolane), constituted the main fraction while monoterpenes were present at very low contents. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.