Anil C. Ghosh

Fungicidal activity of some naturally occurring essential oils against Fusarium moniliforme.

ABSTRACT The essential oils of Cymbopogon martinii var. motia, Eucalyptus citriodora, Cinnomomum tamala and Mentha piperita were screened for their fungicidal activity against Fusarium moniliforme, a post-harvest fungal pathogen of cereal crops. Each oil was found to be effective in inhibiting fungal growth; however, the antifungal activity of the four oils increased as their concentrations increased.

Essential Oil of Curcuma amada Roxb. from Northeastern India

ABSTRACT The essential oil, which was obtained by water distillation of the fresh rhizomes of Curcuma amada Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) growing in the plain districts of Northeastern India, was investigated by GC/MS. Nine components (97.4%) were identified. Myrcene was found as the major (88.6%) component.

Volatile Constituents of the Aerial and Underground Parts of Curcuma aromatica Salisb. from India

ABSTRACT The leaves, petioles and rhizomes of Curcuma aromatica Salisb. (Zingiberaceae) from Assam, India, were subjected to steam distillation. The resulting essential oils were analyzed by high-resolution GC and GC/MS. The leaf, petiole and rhizome oils contained more than 51, 50 and 61 components respectively, of which 43, 41 and 53 constituents have been identified, accounting for about 96.8%, 86.3% and 86.3% of the bulk of the respective oils. The major components in the leaf, petiole and rhizome oils were found to be 1,8-cineole (20.0%, 8.8% and 9.3%, respectively), camphor (18.0%, 16.8% and 25.6%), germacrone (11.8%, 0.2% and 10.6%), isoborneol (6.4%, 6.8% and 8.2%) and camphene (9.4%, 1.2% and 7.4%). Additional notable constituents included limonene (8.6%) in the leaf oil, caryophyllene oxide (8.7%), patchouli alcohol (8.4%) and elsholtzia ketone (6.0%) in the petiole oil, and curzerenone (10.9%) in the rhizome oil.

Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B. Rob., a new source of essential oil from northeast India

ABSTRACT The essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation of the fresh fruits of Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B. Rob. have been analyzed for the first time. The oils of green (unripe) and black (ripe) fruits of this species contained more than 40 and 30 compounds, of which 28 (90%) and 22 (98%) constituents could be identified respectively by GC/MS. Both the oils were characterized by a high proportion of (E)-β-ocimene (70.8% and 84.1%, respectively). Predominant minor constituents of these oils were caryophyllene oxide (5.0% and 0.9%), β-caryophyllene (3.4% and 4.3%) and (Z)-β-ocimene (1.8% and 2.1%).

Dynamics of essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. under rust disease indices

ABSTRACT Severe outbreaks of leaf rust disease (Puccinia nakanishikii) can occur on commercial plantations of Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. (West Indian lemongrass) causing serious losses to herb and oil yield. Present investigation revealed that healthy leaves yielded 0.80% oil, while the leaves with 75.80 percent disease index (PDI) gave a recovery of 0.50% oil with a reduction of 37.50% in yield. This oil yield reduction is accompanied by a decrease in the geranial, an increase in the neral and an increase in the myrcene content of the oil.

Lipid and fatty acid composition of muga silkworm, Antheraea assama, host plants in relation to silkworm growth

The lipid and fatty acid composition of the leaves (tender, medium and mature) of muga host plants, Machilus bombycina, Litsaea monopetala (primary food plants) and L. cubeba and L. salicifolia (family: Lauraceae) (secondary food plants) was investigated by standard procedures, gas chromatography after saponification and esterification. The total lipid content of M. bombycina and L. monopetala leaves was recorded to be higher (16 and 18 g%), respectively, than that of L. cubeba (10 g%) and L. salicifolia (12 g%). GC analysis identified the presence of eight fatty acids (C14 to C22) and the concentration varied from 0.0297 to 8.1572 g% dry leaf powder. Among the fatty acids, (C14 to C22), polyunsaturated fatty acids were recorded to be highest in concentration in mature leaves of the primary host plants. The concentrations of saturated and polyunsatuated fatty acids were found to be at a minimum level in all the types of leaves of secondary muga host plants.

Essential oils of Litsea monopetala (Roxb.) Pers. : a new report from India

Abstract Litsea monopetala (Roxb.) Pers. (Lauraceae) is a “muga” silk worm fodder tree in Northeast India, with the local name “sualu.” The oils of this species, obtained by steam distillation of the fresh fruits, flowers and bark, were examined by high resolution GC and GC/MS for the first time. From the more than 50 compounds separated by GC, about 40 to 45 compounds have been identified in the various oils, accounting for 89–5% to 93.8% of the oils. The major components of the flower oil were α-caryophyllene alcohol (13.9%), pentacosane (11.4%), caryophyllene oxide (9.5%), humulene oxide (9.5%) and tricosane (8.1%). The more volatile fruit oil consisted mainly of decanal (26.7%), nonanol (16.8%) and capric acid (15.5%). The bark oil was mainly composed of aldehydes, alcohols and acids, of which tetradecanal (30.2%), tridecanol (11.3%), myristic acid (10.5%) and tridecanal (9.4%) predominated.

Constituents of the Flower and Fruit Oils of Persea bombycina (King ex Hook, f.) Kost from India

Abstract The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the fresh flowers and fruits of Persea bombycina (King ex Hook. f.) Kost (previously called Machilus bombycina King) were examined by a combination of high resolution GC and GC/MS. The flower oil contained more than 65 compounds of which the major constituents were found to be caryophyllene oxide (19.4%), (E)-nerolidol (14.5%), 11-dodecenal (11.2%) and 11-dodecenoic acid (9.8%). The composition of the fruit oil was entirely different. Among the more than 60 (mostly oxygenated) constituents, the furanoid forms of trans- (8.0%) and cis-linalool oxide (7.3%) were major components, but many compounds could not be identified.

Volatile Constituents of the Essential Oil of Cymbopogon caesius (Nees ex Hook, et Arn.) Stapf.

ABSTRACT Hydrodistillation of leaves of Cymbopogon caesius (Nees ex Hook, et Arn.) Stapf. yielded an essential oil of 1.1% to 1.3% (w/w). Analysis of the oil by GC/MS revealed that the oil contained perillyl alcohol (25.6%), geraniol (19.8%) and limonene (7.2%) as the major components. Additional 21 compounds were also identified in the oil.

Volatiles of Lindera neesiana Benth. leaf and branch

ABSTRACT Hydrodistillation of fresh leaves and branches of Lindera neesiana Benth. yielded essential oils in 1.3% and 0.5% (w/w) yield respectively. The leaf was found to contain methyl chavicol (83.76%) and safrole (11.86%) as major components, while myristicin (69.99%) and 1,8-cineole (17.97%) were the major components of the branch oil on GC/MS analysis.