Analysis of the essential oil of the leaves of the medicinal plant Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum (L.) A. Gray from India

Abstract

The composition of the essential oil of Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum L. (Chenopodiaceae) leaves (also commonly known as American Wormseed, wormseed goosefood or sweet pig weed) from India (Himalayan area) was analyzed by GC-FID, GC-MS and olfactometry. As main compounds α- terpinene (65.4%) and para-cymene (29.4%) were found. Surprisingly the concentration of ascaridole, the main compound of Chenopodium species from various origin, was very low (0.7%) in this sample. The chromatographic- spectroscopic and olfactoric data as well as a possible influence of the identified volatiles on the reported biological effects will be discussed.