Gilbert Fournier

Annonaceae Essential Oils: A Review

Abstract Many species among the Tropical Annonaceae family are odorous; this property is due to the presence of essential oils which are mainly composed of mono- and sesquiterpene compounds. The aim of this work is to give an overview of all published studies on the chemical composition of essential oils of various plant parts taken from numerous species belonging to different genera of Annonaceae. In the Annonaceae, the main compounds are usually monoterpene hydrocarbons in fruit and seed oils, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons in leaf oils, and oxygenated sesquiterpenes in bark and root oils. Most constituents identified are common, such as α-pinene, limonene, β-pinene, β-caryophyllene, p-cymene and caryophyllene oxide. Other components seem to be more specific to a particular Annonaceae genus.

Chemical and Biological Studies of Xylopia longifolia A. DC. Essential Oils

ABSTRACT The essential oils from several parts of Xylopia longifolia A. DC., Annonaceae (roots, bark, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds) have been examined by GC and GC/MS, and screened for bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities. The main components of each oil have been identified. The fruits were rich in essential oil (1.8%) where the major compounds were found to be α-phellandrene (19.2%), limonene (12.2%) and p-cymene (18.7%). The same major constituents were found in the seed oil. The major constituents of the flower oil were p-cymene (26.9%) and spathulenol (36.1%), while the leaf oil contained α-pinene (10.1%) and trans-pinocarveol (10.1%). The major component of the root oil was also trans-pinocarveol (10.8%). The bark oil was rich in bornyl acetate (17.7%) and δ-cadinol (33.8%). It was the only oil that exhibited moderate bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity. The fatty acid content of the seeds and seedless fruit was 40.8% and 32.4% respectively. The major acids of the seeds and seedless fru...

Essential Oils of Annonaceae. Part VIII. Volatile Constituents of the Essential Oils from Three Guatteria Species

Abstract The essential oils isolated from three Guatteria species, Annonaceae (G. ouregou Dun., G. sagotiana R.E. Fries and G. wachenheimi Benoist) have been examined by GC and GC/MS. The main components of each oil (>5%) were: G. ouregou root oil: caryophyllene oxide (24.8%), α-cadinol (11.4%), trans-carveol (8.4%) and spathulenol (5 7%); G. sagotiana fruit oil: γ-terpinene (25.4%), p-cymene (24.9%), caryophyllene oxide (8.4%) and β-caryophyllene (7.4%); G. wachenheimi stem bark oil: borneol (20.4%), δ-3-carene (19.9%), caryophyllene oxide (8.3%) and limonene (6.2%); and G. wachenheimi leaf oil: β-caryophyllene (19.2%), caryophyllene oxide (12.3%), spathulenol (11.4%), α-humulene (8.8%) and borneol (8.4%).

Volatile components of Anaxagorea dolichocarpa fruit

The main volatile components of the oil extracted from the fruits of Anaxagorea dolichocarpa Sprag. and Sandw., Annonaceae, are δ-cadinol, caryophyllene oxide, δ-cadinene, α-copaene and μ-muurolene. These sesquiterpene compounds were identified previously in several other Annonaceae oils, particularly from some Xylopia species. Chemotaxonomic connections are considered between Anaxagorea and Xylopia.