title: Volatile components of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of Echinacea species.
abstract: The headspace volatile components of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of Echinacea angustifolia,E. pallida, and E. purpurea were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Over 70 compounds were identified in the samples. All plant tissues, irrespective of the species, contain acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, camphene, hexanal, beta-pinene, and limonene. The main headspace constituents of the aerial parts of the plant are beta-myrcene, alpha-pinene, limonene, camphene, beta-pinene, trans-ocimene, 3-hexen-1-ol, and 2-methyl-4-pentenal. The major headspace components of root tissue are alpha-phellandrene (present only in the roots of E. purpurea and E.angustifolia), dimethyl sulfide, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylpropanal, acetaldehyde, camphene, 2-propanal, and limonene. Aldehydes, particularly butanals and propanals, make up 41-57% of the headspace of root tissue, 19-29% of the headspace of the leaf tissue, and only 6-14% of the headspace of flower and stem tissues. Terpenoids including alpha- and beta-pinene, beta-myrcene, ocimene, limonene, camphene, and terpinene make up 81-91% of the headspace of flowers and stems, 46-58% of the headspace of the leaf tissue, and only 6-21% of the roots. Of the 70 compounds identified, >50 are reported in Echinacea for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Food Research Program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada. mazzag@em.agr.ca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cottrell
mesh_terms: D020900:Echinacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts