AN ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION OF THE NEEDLES OF SCOTS PINE (PINUS SYLVESTRIS L.) GROWING IN THE SOILS OF DIFFERENT TYPE

Abstract

Extracts of pines have diverse physiological and pharmacological actions, its buds, needles and bark are used in phytotherapy.Geographical, seasonal, age-related, inter-population differencies of volatile compounds in the needles were defined. Wider surveys of the needle essential oil composition under the different type of soils are still scarse. Despite Scots pine is the prevailing tree in the forests of Lithuania, little is known about its essential oils. The aim of our study was to evaluate the essential oil composition in the needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing on arenosols (3 sites), luvisols (3 sites) and histosols (3 sites). Current-year and one-year-old needles of 8 pines in each site were sampled in July, 2005. Volatile components of the needles were extracted and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Seventy one identified component made up 89.1-95.1 % of total oil content. The most predominant fraction was found to be monoterpenes (19.0-40.0 %), with pinene (6.1-26.1 %) and 3-carene (4.9-22.9 %) as the major constituents. Between the pine stands growing on the soils of different type statistically significant changes in percentage concentrations of monoterpens, sesquiterpens, oxysesquiterpens, diterpens were documented. For the pines growing on histosols and luvisols bigger amounts of shorter chain terpens and smaller amounts of longer chain terpens are produced when compared to pines on arenosols. Determined changes in the proportion of components of the essential oils in the needles of the trees growing on different types of soil may significantly modify medicinal value of the needles.