Chemometrics of Seasonal Variation on Essential Oil Chemical Composition of Myrciaria tenella (DC.) O. Berg

Abstract

Myrciaria tenella (DC.) O. Berg is a native and non-endemic fruit tree from Brazil, popularly known as cambuí, and widely used to treat skin rashes, diarrhea, herpes, and colic. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of climatic parameters on the yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of this species. M. tenella leaves were collected in Salvaterra, in Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The correlations between yields and climatic parameters were verified using chemometrics tools. M. tenella essential oils showed an average yield of 1.44 ± 0.46% and the highest yield in October (2.6%). There was no significant difference in yield throughout the year. A total of 105 constituents were identified: (E)-caryophyllene (0 to 31%), caryophyllene oxide (0 to 33.61%), δ-cadinene (0 to 6.9%), 1-epi-cubenol (1.96 to 5.82%), and aromadendrene (1.16 to 5.84%) were the major constituents. Temperature, humidity, and insolation significantly influenced the levels of the classes and the main components. Multivariate analysis showed a homogeneous distribution of the samples with high chemical variability. The M. tenella essential oils show variations throughout the year, indicating independence from climatic conditions.