Variations in volatile oil quantity and chemical compositions of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. from northern Thailand

Abstract

              Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. was known as aromatherapy plant. Volatile oil from fruit has been used commercially for citral source. According to capacity of volatile oil fraction and chemical isolate conversion into product of flavor and fragrance industries thus the United States, Western Europe countries and Japan are the major importers of the world markets.

              This study was aimed to evaluate the chemical composition from variation of volatile oil of Litsea cubeba. The lower montane forest in northern Thailand where most natural L.cubeba distributed over. Seventy four fruit samples were harvested from seven locations, six from Chiang Mai and one from Phitsanulok. Hydro-distillation was used for fruit oil extraction. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) were used to determine and characterize the components of volatile oil. An analytic compositions of the samples from different locations were shown 12 main compounds. The chemical component of the oil comprised of citral 70.95%, D-limonene 3.59%, linalool 1.76%, polegone 1.39%, citronella 1.32%, 6-methyl 5 hepten -2- one 0.81%, β-myrcene 0.63%, sabinene 0.61%, eucalyptol 0.46%, geraniol 0.39%, a- pinene 0.31%, caryophyllene 0.29%. Comparative on volatile oil contents involving locations factors were shown significant different. L. cubeba oil from different location performed high yield with different constituent. The results from the present study can be used for the future conservation plan and breeding programme of L. cubeba especially for the specific volatile oil constituent.

              The variation of chemical compositions of L. cubeba oil between locations were found. Citral-rich sources were Den Ya Khad, Chiang Mai location (85%) and Phu Hin Rongkla, Phitsanulok (80%). Moreover, L. cubeba also provided high D-limonene. Doi Inthanon performed high contents of D- limonene with 9% and also rich of linalool with 4.7% thus the distinguish locations should be focus to selected the plus trees for future breeding program of this species. The advantages of consequences between conservation and utilization of L. cubeba is to introduce this species to hill tribe for planting this economic tree instead of annual crops.

Keywords: Litsea cubeca, chemical composition, variation, citral, GC/MS