Seasonal and geographical influences on the chemical composition of Juniperus phoenicea L. essential oil leaves from the Northern Tunisia.
The essential-oil composition of 60 individual trees of Juniperus phoenicea L. from four Tunisian populations in three different periods were investigated by GC and GC/MS analyses. 59 Compounds were identified in the oils, and a relatively high variation in their contents was found. All the oils were dominated by the terpenic hydrocarbon fraction, and the main component was alpha-pinene (20.28-40.86%). The results of the oil compositions were processed by hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) allowing establishing four groups of essential-oils differentiated by one compound or more. Pattern of geographic variation in essential-oil composition indicated that individuals from the continental site (Makthar) were clearly distinguished from those from littoral localities (Tabarka, Hawaria, and Rimel).
Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Faculté de Pharmacie, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia. hanene.medini@yahoo.fr
Hanene
H
Medini
Ameur
A
Elaissi
Farhat
F
Farhat
Mohamed Larbi
ML
Khouja
Rachid
R
Chemli
Fathia
F
Harzallah-Skhiri
D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D018653:Juniperus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D014416:Tunisia
D009822:Oils, Volatile