Characterization of the Leaf Essential Oil Composition of Annona squamosa L. from Foothills of North India

Abstract

The leaf essential oil composition of Annona squamosa L., collected from the lower region of Himalaya was investigated using gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of forty-three constituents, representing 88.6% of the total oil composition were identified. The essential oil was primarily composed of sesquiterpenoids (sesquiterpene hydrocarbons: 63.4% and oxygenated sesquiterpenes: 21.8%). Major constituents of the oil were (E)-caryophyllene (15.9%), γ-cadinene (11.2%), epi-α-cadinol (9.4%), (Z)- caryophyllene (7.3%), γ-muurolene (5.4%), α-humulene (5.2%), viridiflorene (5.0%), α-cadinol (3.9%), aromadendrene (2.9%), δ-cadinene (2.9%), α-cadinene (2.9%), (2Z,6Z)-farnesal (2.2%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.1%).