Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. Santra leaf and fruit peel: A common waste products, volatile oils composition and biological activities

Abstract

The components of essential oils from the leaf and fruit peel of Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. Santra (santra mandarin) cultivated in Egypt were explored qualitatively and quantitatively using GLC and GLC/MS and 131 components were identified and quantified. In the leaf oil, one hundred and nine (109) compounds were determined with sabinene (23.10%) and linalool (21.20%) as a major component. The total identified components in the fruit peel oil were sixty-four and limonene (79.64%) was the most abundant. Santra mandarin volatile components showed good anti-inflammatory activity represented by its effect on tumor necrosis factor- α and nitric oxide. Egyptian santra mandarin chemotype was distinguished as limonene for peel oil while sabinene/linalool was observed for leaf oil. This study could be the milestone for the reuse and recycling of Egyptian santra mandarin leaves and fruit peel as a common waste products. The study also suggests the use of these wastes for the production of more valuable pure compounds such as limonene, sabinene and linalool. Key words: Santra mandarin, essential oils, gas chromatography (GLC) and GLC/MS, chemotaxonomy, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities.