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Volatile Constituents of the Stem and Leaves of Cordia Species from Mountain Forests of Pernambuco (North-eastern Brazil)
Journal of Essential Oil Research: JEOR, Sep/Oct 2007 by de Oliveira, José C S, Camara, Claudio A G da, Schwartz, Manfred O E
Abstract
Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from stem and leaves of Cordia globosa (Jacq.) Hmb., Bonpl. et Kunth and Cordia curassavica (Jacq.) Roem. et Schult. were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. The oil yield of C. globosa and C. curassavica was 0.5% and 1.1% for the stem and 0.6% and 1.0% for the leaves, respectively. Although they belong to the same genus, the chemical composition of the oils from two Cordia species was very different. The main components in the oil of C. globosa were: 1-endo-bourbonanol (20.2% in stem) and linalyl butyrate (14.7% in stem); β-caryophyllene (39.0% in leaves) and α-humulene (12.1% in leaves). Spathulenol (27.1% in stem), trans-sesquisabinene hydrate (11.0% in stem), viridiflorol (10.7% in stem), β-phellandrene (25.3% in leaves), cubebol (23.9% in leaves) and α-pinene (10.4 % in leaves) were the main constituents of the oils of C. curassavica.
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Key Word Index
Cordia globosa, Cordia curassavica, Boraginaceae, essential oil composition, β-caryophyllene, spathulenol, β-phelandrene, cubebol, 1-endo-bourbonanol, linalyl butyrate, α-humulene, trans-sesquisabinene hydrate, viridiflorol, α-pinene.
Introduction
The bioma Caatinga, inserted in the domain of the semi-arid region of the state of Pernambuco, represents an important biodiversity centre of America (1). Of the different vegetation formations of this bioma, the forests located on the mountain are without any doubt the ones with the major forest richness (2-3). These forests of Pernambuco can always be found on the top and backs of some mountains with altitudes exceeding 600 m, located on the surface of Borborema, and despite of being geographically in the center of the Caatinga, show vegetation with distinct physiognomies and flora denominated as mountain forest or "brejos de altitude".
Within the species which grow in this bioma, the family Boraginaceae can be found, especially those of the genus Cordia. This genus is one of the largest having around 320 species, of which 65 are found in Brazil (4), and in Pernambuco they are widely distributed in the coastal zone and in the mountain forests. The species C. curassavica (Jacq.) Roem. et Schult and C. globosa (Jacq.) Hmb., Bonpl. et Kunth are bushes and are easy to find in these forests and are popularly known in the Brazilian Northeast as erva-baleeira and black Mary (maria-preta), respectively. Decoctions of leaves and branch tips from these bushes have been used by local communities in the popular medicine because of their reputed to possess abortive and anti-inflammatory properties as well as their use as a treatment against colds and cough. Species of this genus are characterized by the presence of quinones, hydroquinones, flavonoids and triterpenes, justifying in some cases thieir use in popular medicine for their reputed antirheumatic; anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties (5-7).
Beyond the already cited characteristics, some Cordia species are characterized by the aroma they release from the leaves due to the presence of terpenic hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives (essential oil) which is of interest for industries Idee the perfume, cosmetic, nutrition and pharmaceutical industries. However, not much is known about the composition of their essential oils. A literature review on the oil composition of the following species reveals that analyses of the oils of C. trichotoma Veil. (8,9), C. verbenacea DC. (10), C. cylindrostachya Roem. et Schult. (11), C. nitida Vahl. (12), C. chacoensis Chod (13, 14) have been published. Only two reports of C curassavica related to the composition of the leaf oil have been published while oils from other parts of plant have not been studied (15,16). However, there has been found only one previous investigation about the composition of the leaf oil of Cordia globosa (17).
As a part of the study of the aromatic flora in Northeastern Brazil carried out by our research group, this paper reports the composition of the leaf and stem oils of C. curassavica and C. globosa, that are growing at mountain forests in region of Caruaru, Pernambuco.
Experimental
Plant material: The fresh leaves and stem of C. curassavica and C. globosa were collected from mountain forests at Brejo da Madre de Deus in region of Caruaru, Pernambuco during the morning hours in July 2005. Voucher specimens of C. globosa andC. curassavica were deposited at the Herbarium Vasconcelos Sobrinho of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco under the numbers: #3540 and #3550, respectively.
Oil Isolation: The essential ods of the fresh leaves and stem of each species were isolated using a modified Clevenger-type apparatus by hydrodistiUation technique for 2 h. The oil layers obtained were separated and dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate, stored in hermetically sealed glass containers and kept under refrigeration at before analysis. The yields were averaged over three experiments and calculated based on the fresh weight of the plant materials.
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