title: Comparison of volatile constituents of Persicaria odorata(Lour.) Soják (Polygonum odoratum Lour.) and Persicaria hydropiper L. Spach (Polygonum hydropiper L.).
abstract: Polygonum odoratum Lour. has been reclassified as Persicaria odorata (Lour.) Soják [Wilson, K. L. Polygonum sensu lato (Polygonaceae) in Australia. Telopea 1988, 3, 177-182]; other synonyms currently used are Vietnamese mint or Vietnamese coriander and, in Malaysia, Daun Laksa or Laksa plant. The aerial parts of Laksa plant are highly aromatic, and they contain many organic compounds such as (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, decanal, undecanal, and dodecanal that are typical for green, citrus, orange peel, and coriander odors. In addition to these aldehydes, 3-sulfanyl-hexanal and 3-sulfanyl-hexan-1-ol were discovered for the first time in this herb. The fresh leaves are pungent when they are chewed, although the active compound has never been identified. The pungency of Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Spach (formerly Polygonum hydropiper L., synonym water pepper) is produced by polygodial, a 1,4-dialdehyde derived from drimane terpenoids. We also identified polygodial as the active pungent compound in P. odorata (Lour.) Soják.
authors.affiliation: Corporate R&D Division, Firmenich SA, P.O. Box 239, CH-1211 Geneva 8, Switzerland. christian.starkenmann@firmenich.com
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Starkenmann
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niclass
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Praz
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roguet
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes / Q000032:analysis; D000441:Hexanols / Q000032:analysis; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D028502:Polygonum / Q000737:chemistry*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D000441:Hexanols; C010463:n-hexanal