The Constituents of the Essential Oil from Houttuynia Cordata Thunb

Abstract

The authors studied to make clear the constituents and the characteristic odor of the essential oil of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation of the plant's leaves and stems. The essential oil was treated with 2 N sodium carbonate solution, then with 2 N sodium hydroxide solution, and was separated into the three parts: neutral part, phenol part and carboxylic acid part. The resulting each part was investigated by means of column chromatography, gas chromatography, infrared spectrum, mass spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum and the chemical analysis. Consequently, thirty two kinds of compound were recognized as the constituents of this essential oil: α–pinene, camphene, β–pinene, β–myrcene, limonene, 1, 8–cineole, ocimene, p–cymene, terpinolene, β–caryophyllene, humulene, leaf alcohol, linalool, terpinene–4–ol, 1–nonanol, 1–decanol, nerol, geraniol, 1–dodecanol, 1–tridecanol, nonanal, decanal, dodecanal, 3–keto–decanal, methyl n–nonyl ketone, methyl n–undecyl ketone, methyl lauryl sulfide, decanoic acid, thymol, carvacrol, o–cresol and p–cresol; and the authors have considered that the characteristic odor of this plant may be due to methyl n–nonyl ketone, 3–keto–decanal, methyl lauryl sulfide and homologues of aliphatic alcohol. © 1972, The Chemical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.