International Research Journal of Plant Science (ISSN: 2141-5447) Vol. 2(9) pp. 271-275, September, 2011
Available online http://www.interesjournals.org/IRJPS
Copyright © 2011 International Research Journals
Full length Research Paper
Composition of essential oil of the leaf and inflorescence of
Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) Kuntze
Md. Nazrul Islam Bhuiyan1, V. K. Varshney2, Shiam C. Varshney3, Arvind Tomar2 and Farhana
Akter4
1
BCSIR Laboratories, Chittagong; Chittagong Cantonment, Chittagong-4220, Bangladesh.
2
Chemistry Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India.
3
Som Extracts Limited, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad U.P., India.
4
Home Economics College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Accepted 8 September, 2011
Essential oil compositions of the leaf and inflorescences of Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) Kuntze
were investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). P. benghalensis oils were
found to contain few monoterpene hydrocarbons, a moderate content of sesquiterpenes and high
content of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The inflorescences oil are rich in transcaryophyllene (8.52%),
germacrene B (4.50%), δ-cadiuene (4.37%), β -ocimene (4.30%), χ-elemene (3.54%), caryophyllene oxide
(3.27%), curzerene (1.70%), α-humulene (1.68%), α-guaiene (1.54%) and germacrene (1.28%), whereas
leaf oil is rich in cadinene isomer (2.615%), elemol (1.458%), α bulnesene (2.184%), χ-elemene (2.118%)
and germacrene D (1.190%). The compositions of both oils varied qualitatively and quantitatively.
Keywords: Pogostemon benghalensis, essential oils, GC-MS analysis, trans caryophyllene, cadinene isomer.
INTRODUCTION
The aromatic plant of Pogostemon benghalensis (synm.
Pogostemon parviflorus Benth., Origanum benghalense
Burm.f., Pogostemon plectranthoides auct., non Desf.) is
a very common member of Lamiaceae family and it
occurs in open riverine forest, but is also cultivated in
Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand
and China. It is also an occasionally cultivated herb with
strong, solid, angular stem. It resembles very much P.
plectranthoides but its narrower corolla tube and less
crowded inflorescence are distinctive. The leaves are
used to distil a kind of patchouli oil which has an odour
reminiscent of cedar wood. The oil is used as a stimulant
and styptic. Fresh leaves are used to clean wounds and
promote their healing. Besides its essential oil, it contains
an astringent resin, an alkaloid, and a yellow varnish of a
slightly bitter taste. Its root is used in haemorrhage,
especially in uterine haemorrhage. Its leaf is used for
cleaning wounds and its essential oil is antifungal.
Acetone extract is insecticidal, insect repellent (Jansen,
1999). Sesquiterpene lactone,
*Corresponding author Email: nazrul119@yahoo.com
caryophyllen-9-β-10-olide, has been isolated from the
whole plant (Nanda et al., 1985). The whole plant
contains α-pinene, camphene, methyl heptenone,
linalool, linalyl acetate, citronellol, geranyl acetate,
geraniol, δ-3-carene, limonene and p-cymene (Pandey
and Chowdhury, 2002; Thapa et al., 1971). Dhananjaya
and Pant (2001) reported that its essential oil contains
limonene, α-phellandrene, β-caryophyllene, χ-cadinene,
β-bisabalol, α-elemene, β-elemene, α-murolene, αcopane, α-patchulene, χ-patchulene and δ-guaiene. The
structure of a new sesquiterpene isolated from P.
plectranthoides has been assigned from its spectral
properties and confirmed by X-ray crystallographic
evidence. The compound has been identified as 5αhydroxy-10β-selina-1,4(15),7-trien-6-one (Anil et al.,
1984).The study of volatile substances of the Lamiaceae
family can increase the knowledge about plant
phytochemicals, as well as giving of biological evidence
diversities. The current study is aimed at characterizing
the chemical components of the essential oil of P.
benghalensis leaf and inflorescence.
272 Int. Res. J. Plant Sci.
Table 1. Physical properties of Pogostemon benghalensis essential oil.
Colour of the oil
Odour
Flavour
Solubility
Density
Refractive index
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Plant material
The plant materials of P. benghalensis were collected
from the plants grown in the campus of BCSIR
Laboratory, Chittagong during March 2009. One-voucher
specimen (N-758) was deposited in the herbarium of
BCSIR Laboratory, Chittagong.
Extraction of essential oil: Samples of leaves and
inflorencences were harvested from healthy, well-grown
plants. Samples of fresh leaves (500 g) and fresh
inflorencences (200 g) were subjected to hydrodistillation
using a Clevenger apparatus for 4 h for isolation of oils
separately from the two parts (Clevenger, 1928). The oil
samples were stored at 4°C in air-tight containers after
drying them over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered and
concentrated under reduced pressure at room
temperature to obtain the essential oil for GC-MS
analyses.
GC-MS analysis: The essential oil from leaves and
inflorencences of P. benghalensis were analyzed
by
GC-MS electron impact ionization (EI) method on GC17A gas chromatograph (Shimadzu) coupled to a GC-MS
QP 5050A Mass Spectrometer (Shimadzu); fused silica
capillary column (30m x 0.25 mm; 0.25 µm film
thickness), coated with DB-5 (Jand W); column
o
o
temperature, 100 (2 min) to 280 C at the rate of 3 C/min;
carrier gas, helium at constant pressure of 90 Kpa.
Acquisition parameters are full scan and scan range of
40-350 amu.
Identification of thevolatile compounds: Compound
identification was done by comparing the NIST library
data of the peaks with those reported in literature, mass
spectra of the peaks with literature data . Percentage
composition was computed from GC peak areas on DB-5
column without applying correction factors.
Amber Pink
Strong aromatic with flowery top note
Pleasant with a fruity after taste
In 2 volume 80% alcohol
1.008
1.504
Chittagong BCSIR Campus in Bangladesh and has been
analyzed by GC and GC/MS. P. benghalensis essential
oil colour is amber pink; odour, strong aromatic with
flowery top note and its refractive index is 1.504 (Table1). The chemical composition of the leaf and
inflorescence essential oil of P. benghalensis is
presented in Tables 2 and 3 respectively. The yield of the
essential oil was 0.70 (w/w) % in leaf and 1.20 (w/w) % in
inflorescence respectively. It was found to be a mixture of
mono and sesqui-terpenoids, and fatty acids. Fifty five
volatile compounds in leaf oil and seventy four volatile
compounds in inflorescences oil were identified by mass
spectra library. Their relative contents were calculated on
the basis of peak area ratio. The leaf oil is rich in
cadinene isomer (2.615%), elemol (1.458%), αbulnesene
(2.184%),
χ-elemene
(2.118%)
and
germacrene D (1.190%). On the other hand, the
inflorescences oil is rich in rans caryophyllene (8.52%),
germacrene B (4.50%), δ-cadiuene (4.37%), β-ocimene
(4.30%), χ-elemene (3.54%), caryophyllene oide
(3.27%), curzerene (1.70%), α-humulene (1.68%), αguaiene 1.54%) and germacrene (1.28%). The study
reveals that the compositions of the two oils differ from
the earlier reports and may therefore be treated as
different chemotypes.
DISCUSSION
As a result of this study, the essential oil of P.
benghalensis has been extracted and its components
identified. Our objective was to compare the analysis
results of others and to find the main compounds of the
oil of the plant used in this study. However, further study
has to be conducted because 63% of the leaf oil and
35.65% of the inflorescences oil constitutes are not
identified in this experiment. This will help to ascertain
fully their chemical constituents of mono and
sesquiterpene hydrocarbon components of the essential
oil.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
RESULTS
Water-distilled
essential
oil
from
leaves
and
inflorescences of P. benghalensis was collected from
We acknowledge the CCSTDS, Chennai, India for
financial support and Som Extracts Limited, Sahibabad,
Ghaziabad U.P., India for the analysis of the essential
oil.
Bhuiyan et al. 273
Table 2. Composition of estimated volatile oil of the leaf of
Pogostemon benghalensis.
Peak NO
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
Name of Constituents
Cis-3-Hexenol
1-Hexanol
Alpha-Pinene
Camphene
Benzaldehyde
1-Octen-3-ol
Beta Pinene
Para Cymene
Limonene
Eucalyptol
Beta Ocimene
Gamma Terpinene
Alpha Terpinolene
Linalool
Nonanal
Borneol
Geraniol
Bornyl Acetate
Thymol
Delta Elemene
Eugenol
Cyclosativene
Alpha Cubebene
Geranyl Acetate
Beta-Bourbonene
Beta Elemene
Alpha Gurjenene
Trans Caryophyllene
Gamma-Elemene
Alpha Guaine
3,7 Guaiadiene
Eugenol
Cyclosativene
Alpha Cubebene
Geranyl Acetate
Beta-Bourbonene
Gamma Cadinene
Alpha-Humulene
Aromadendrene, Allo
Germacrene D
Valencene
Aciphyllene
Alpha Bulnesene
Delta Cadinene
Gamma Cadinene
Cadinene Isomer
Cadinene Isomer
Germacrene B
Elemol
Caryo Oxide
Guaiol
Tau- Cadinol
Eudesmol Gamma
Alpha Cadinol
Unidentified
*RT-Retention Time.
RT*
10.98
11.28
14.07
14.80
15.31
15.88
16.15
18.63
18.89
19.10
19.80
20.64
22.49
23.00
23.20
27.72
33.38
35.84
36.24
39.47
40.83
41.82
42.01
42.24
42.96
43.35
44.61
45.42
46.14
46.59
46.86
40.83
41.82
42.01
42.24
42.96
47.30
47.80
48.66
49.62
50.04
50.61
51.33
51.44
51.75
52.22
52.93
53.10
54.12
56.29
57.02
58.77
59.22
60.64
65.57
Percent
0.101
0.051
0.007
0.006
0.010
0.042
0.007
0.016
0.029
0.019
0.085
0.011
0.006
0.035
0.010
0.011
0.010
0.007
0.028
0.028
0.035
0.145
0.277
0.009
0.012
0.501
0.013
0.746
2.118
0.810
0.228
0.035
0.145
0.277
0.009
0.012
0.154
0.698
0.024
1.190
0.330
0.311
2.184
0.382
0.227
0.222
2.615
0.531
1.458
0.920
0.306
0.435
0.092
0.524
63.00
274 Int. Res. J. Plant Sci.
Table 3. Composition of estimated volatile oilof
inflorescences of Pogostemon benghalensis .
Peak
NO
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
the
Name of Constituents
RT*
Percent
Alpha-Pinene
Camphene
Beta Pinene
Beta-Myrcene
Phellandrene
Para Cymene
Limonene
Cis ocimene
Beta-Ocimene
Alpha Terpinolene
Anisyl Alcohol
Linalool
Nonanal
Neo-Allo-ocimene
Camphor
Iso borneol
Borneol
Hexyl Butyrate
Methyl salicylate
Citral-I
Bornyl Acetate
Isobornyl Acetate
Delta Elemene
Eugenol
Cyclosativene
Alpha Cubebene
Alpha Copaene
Beta Bourbonene
Beta Elemene
Alpha Bergamotene
Trans Caryophyllene
Gamma-Elemene
Alpha Guaiene
3,7 Guaiadiene
Neolongifolene
Aromadendrene
Alpha-Humulene
Neo-Allo-ocimene
Camphor
Iso borneol
Borneol
Hexyl Butyrate
Methyl salicylate
Citral-I
Bornyl Acetate
Isobornyl Acetate
Delta Elemene
Eugenol
Cyclosativene
Alpha Cubebene
Alpha Copaene
Beta Bourbonene
Beta Elemene
Alpha Bergamotene
Trans Caryophyllene
14.27
15.02
16.37
16.75
17.70
18.82
19.08
19.36
20.25
22.68
23.02
23.24
23.42
25.12
26.56
27.42
28.03
29.19
29.92
34.89
36.18
36.32
39.77
41.12
42.16
42.39
42.59
43.25
43.66
45.47
46.25
46.80
47.10
47.30
47.42
47.71
48.30
25.12
26.56
27.42
28.03
29.19
29.92
34.89
36.18
36.32
39.77
41.12
42.16
42.39
42.59
43.25
43.66
45.47
46.25
0.184
0.147
0.154
0.030
0.011
0.016
0.215
0.278
4.300
0.025
0.023
0.123
0.014
0.018
0.012
0.017
0.114
0.014
0.013
0.013
0.183
0.023
0.039
0.038
0.556
0.866
0.023
0.035
0.611
0.023
8.520
3.543
1.540
0.309
0.047
0.364
1.685
0.018
0.012
0.017
0.114
0.014
0.013
0.013
0.183
0.023
0.039
0.038
0.556
0.866
0.023
0.035
0.611
0.023
8.520
Bhuiyan et al. 275
Table 3 continue
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
Gamma-Elemene
Alpha Guaiene
3,7 Guaiadiene
Neolongifolene
Aromadendrene
Alpha-Humulene
Germacrene
Valencene
Curzerene
Franesene Alpha
Delta Cadiuene
Germacrene B
Elemol
Spatulenol
Caryophyllene Oxide
Guaiol
Valencene
Unidentified
Phytol
46.80
47.10
47.30
47.42
47.71
48.30
49.93
50.34
50.87
51.18
51.75
53.81
54.43
55.58
56.97
57.31
57.70
65.90
84.52
3.543
1.540
0.309
0.047
0.364
1.685
1.281
0.477
1.708
0.274
4.372
4.500
1.069
0.019
3.272
0.191
0.258
35.65
0.060
*RT-Retention Time.
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