Chemical Composition, Enantiomeric distribution and olfactometric analysis of the essential oils distilled from the Ecuadorian species Myrcianthes myrsinoides (Kunth) Grifo and Myrcia mollis (Kunth) DC. (Myrtaceae)

Abstract

Abstract:The essential oils of the species Myrcianthes myrsinoides and Myrcia mollis, belonging to the Myrtaceae family, were extracted by steam distillation. They were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), enantioselective gas chromatography and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). The qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses were undertaken in apolar (DB-5ms) and polar (HP-INNOWax) capillary columns. This allowed determining a total of 58 and 52 compounds respectively for the essential oil of Myrcianthes myrsinoides, and 22 and 21 compounds for the essential oil of Myrcia mollis. Major compounds for the first species were (Z)- caryophyllene (16.8%), trans-calamenene (14.6%), 1,8-cineole (11.6%), spathulenol (6.5%) and limonene (5.2%). For the second species, the major compounds were ;-pinene (31.3%), ; pinene (29.2%), 1,8 -cineole (8.7%), linalool (8.2%) and myrcene (5.2%). The enantioselective analysis allowed to determine the enantiomeric distribution and excess of several pairs of enantiomers, among these: -thujene, -pinene, sabinene, limonene, 4-terpineol, and germacrene D. The use of GC-O demonstrated that both species share active-olfactory compounds such as -pinene, β-pinene, ;-terpinene, terpinolene, and linalool. Additionally, it was determined that essential oil from Myrcianthes myrsinoides has inhibitory activity for cholinesterase enzymes, important in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.