Essential oil composition of Alchemilla alpina L. em. Buser from Western Alpine pastures

• Published in: The Journal of essential oil research Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 542 - 545
• Main Authors: Falchero, L, Coppa, M, Esposti, S, Tava, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01-11-2008
• Subjects: aerial parts; Alchemilla alpina; alcohols; aldehydes; alpine tundra; apiole; chemical composition; coumarin; dill apiole; distillation; essential oil composition; essential oils; eugenol; extraction; gas chromatography; guaiacol; mass spectrometry; myristic acid; myristicin; p-vinyl guaiacol; Rosaceae; steaming; terpenoids; vanillin; volatile compounds; yields; Italy
• ISSN: 1041-2905; 2163-8152
• DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2008.9700084

The volatile fraction of Alchemilla alpina L. em. Buser was isolated by steam distillation from fresh aerial tissues and analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Fresh samples were collected in two experimental sites located in Western alpine region (Alpe Gianna and Alpe Caugis, Val Pellice, Piedmont, Italy). The yield in essential oil was 0.16 ± 0.04% of fresh material. A wide range in volatile quantitative composition was detected. Terpenes and alcohols were identified as the major compounds representing the 36.9% and 30.6% of the total oil, and quantified as 47.3 μg/g fresh weight and 39.2 μg/g fresh weight, respectively. Aldehydes were quoted as 15.4% of the total oil (19.7 μg/g fresh weight), followed by acids 2.3% (3.0 μg/g fresh weight), esters 1.0% (1.3 μg/g fresh weight) and unidentified 0.5% (0.7 μg/g fresh weight). Dill apiole, coumarin, myristicin, vanillin, eugenol, apiole and p-vinyl guaiacol, altogether quoted as 4.5% of the total oil (5.8 μg/g fresh weight), were also detected.