Chemical composition of essential oil from the leaves of Gmelina asiatica L.
AR Florence, S Jeeva
In the present investigation essential oils from the leaves of Gmelina asiatica L. was extracted and its fatty acids composition was determined by GC-MS analysis. Leaves of Gmelina asiatica were collected, shade dried and its essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation method using Clevenger apparatus. Analysis was done using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer apparatus, the constituents as well as the percentage of components present in the oil. Eight bio-active compounds were identified as E-11- Hexadecanoic acid (3.69%); Hexadecanoic acid (14.10%); Linoleic acid (14.57%); (E)-9-Octadecanoic acid (56.65%); Heptadecanoic acid (10.10%); 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid (0.27%); Benzene, (1-butylhexadecyl) (0.24%) and Cholesterol trimethylsilyl ether (0.37%). The bioactive compounds resulted from the leaves were used to cure various ailments by the traditional practitioners.
Fig.: GC-MS Chromatogram of essential oil of Gmelina asiatica leaf