France-Ida Jean

Essential oils of Baccharis salicifolia, B. latifolia and B. dracunculifolia

Abstract Samples of the essential oil from Baccharis salicifolia, four samples from B. latifolia, and one sample from B. dracunculifolia collected in the high valleys of Bolivia in the province of Cochabamba were analysed by a combination of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The identified products may be divided into four different groups: monoterpenes, oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and various oxygenated sesquiterpenes such as germacrone and ledol. The latter compounds are characteristic constituents of the essential oils of Ledum groenlanicum. Rather unusual monooxygenated compounds with a cadinane structure were also detected, including verboccidentafuran, chromoleanin and related compounds.

PENTACYCLIC TRITERPENE CONSTITUENTS OF YELLOW BIRCH BARK FROM QUEBEC

ABSTRACT Birch bark represents an abundant, and currently under-utilized, natural resource. Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), the emblem tree of Quebec, is commercially important and one of the most widespread birch species in the province, but the use of its bark is limited. It is only used as a low value fuel source in solid wood products industries. Yellow birch bark triterpene constituents such as lupeol, betulin and betulinic acid have been described to have high biological activity. The yellow birch bark triterpene constituents such as betulin and certain derivatives of this natural substance have demonstrated interesting therapeutic properties. For example, betulinic acid has been shown to possess anti-tumor activity against human melanoma cells both in vitro and in vivo models. Its mechanism of action consists in the induction of apoptosis or cellular suicide in the cancer cells without affecting healthy cells.[14] These natural products confer added value to this tree. In this study, we investigated the triterpenoid composition of the outer bark of B. alleghaniensis from three locations in Quebec: Saint-Damien de Bellechasse, Saint-Félix-d’Otis, and Duchesnay. Eight triterpenes not previously reported in the bark of yellow birch were detected in this research. The betulonic aldehyde was identified as a new yellow birch bark constituent in bark samples from all sites, while the betulinic aldehyde and the oleanane type triterpenes were only detected in the sample from Saint-Félix-d’Otis. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the oleanane-type triterpenes are identified in yellow birch bark. *This article is dedicated to the memory of Isaïe Habiyaremye, who passed away under tragic circumstances while the publication of this article was in progress.

Extraction and GC/MS Analysis of the Essential Oil of Achillea millefolium L. complex (Compositae)

ABSTRACT The essential oil, which was obtained by hydrodistillation from aerial parts of Achillea millefolium L. complex (Compositae), was analyzed using both GC/MS and Kovats indices. The major components extracted from the stems, leaves and inflorescences were found to be β-thujone (8.3–21.7%), camphor (8.6–11.7%), 1, 8-cineole (7.7–15.2%), β-pinene (3.8–7.8%) and sabinene (5.7–8.9%). More than sixty components have been identified; forty of which, mainly oxygenated compounds, are reported for the first time. Variations in the essential oil composition and yield during hydrodistillation are also reported.

Chemical Differences Between the Wood Extracts of Jack Pine (Pinus Banksiana), Black Spruce (Picea Mariana) and Balsam Fir (Abies Balsamea) from Eastern Canada

Abstract Differences in the chemical composition of the wood of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.)) were determined by GC analysis of their hexane extracts. Certain constituents such as juvabione, (E)-α-atlantone and α-cadinene were shown to be present only in the heartwood of balsam fir. Analysis of the sapwood of the three species also revealed the presence of certain constituents such as juvabione, dehydrojuvabione and (E)- α-atlantone, all found only in balsam fir and an unidentified compound found only in jack pine. The chromatograms of the hexane extracts of both sapwood and heartwood showed characteristic patterns for each of the three species of conifers.

Essential Oils from Bolivia. III. Asteraceae: Artemisia copa Philippi

Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Artemisia copa growing in the high valley region of Bolivia, Province of Cochabamba, was determined by a combination of GC and GC/MS measurements. The main constituents were β-thujone (42%), chamazulene (6.5%) and a homoterpene (6.0%) as well as limonene (5%) and α-pinene (4.8%).

Leaf Oil of Melaleuca quinquenervia from Benin

ABSTRACT The essential oils obtained from the leaves of Melaleuca quinquenervia from Benin were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Three chemovarieties were identified; one with a high content of 1,8-cineole (48%) and a smaller amount of viridiflorol (17%), another with about equal amounts of the same two compounds and a third variety rich in viridiflorol (48%) with 1,8-cineole (12%) as the second most important constituent.

Essential Oils from Bolivia. I. Asteraceae: Baccharis tricuneata (L.f.) Pers. var. ruiziana Cuatrecassas

Abstract The essential oil of the aerial parts of Baccharis tricuneata var. ruiziana (Asteraceae) from Bolivia was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The oil is characterized by a high percentage of (E)-nerolidol (∼68%) and the presence of several minor constituents composed mainly of monoterpenes (∼16%), followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (∼5%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (∼3%).

Leaf Oils of Three Eucalyptus Species from Benin: E. torelliana F. Muell., E. citriodora Hook, and E. tereticornis Smith

ABSTRACT The essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from the leaves of Eucalyptus torelliana F. Muell., Eucalyptus citriodora Hook, and Eucalyptus tereticornis Smith were analyzed using Kovats indices and GC/MS. The main components identified in E. torelliana were α-pinene (19%), p-cymene (14%) and spathulenol (17%). The oil of E. citriodora could be an interesting natural source of citronellal (66%). The major components of the essential oil of E. tereticornis were the farnesol geometric isomers: (E,E)-farnesol (57%), (E,Z)-farnesol (13%) and (Z,Z)-farnesol (8%).

The essential oil and glycosidically bound volatile compounds of Taxus canadensis Marsh

ABSTRACT The essential oil of the conifer Taxus canadensis, also called the Canadian yew, from the region of Saguenay—Lac-St.-Jean, Quebec, was analyzed using both GC/MS and retention indices. We identified eighteen compounds in the oil including the aliphatic alcohol, l-octen-3-ol as the major component (40%). The glycoside composition was also examined, we identified sixteen aglycones including the two major components, l-octen-3-ol (30%) and 3, 5-dimethoxyphenol (40%). The yield in glycosidically bound volatile compounds (0.09%) is three times more than the yield in essential oil (0.03%), which, in turn, is much less than the yield frequently observed in other conifers (0.5–1.0%).

Essential Oils from Bolivia. VII. Myrtaceae: Myrcianthes osteomeloides (Rusby) McVaugh and Myrcianthes pseudomato (Legrand) McVaugh

Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oils of Myrcianthes osteomeloides and M. pseudomato was studied by GC and GC/MS. Myrcianthes osteomeloides oil contained 1,8-cineole (55.7%) as the major component followed by α-pinene (17.9%), α-terpineol (8.5%) and β-pinene (4.6%). We identified 1,8-cineole (24.4%), α-pinene (17.1%), linalool (11.7%), limonene (8.5%) and γ-terpinene (7.3%) as main constituents in M. pseudomato oil.