Essential oil composition of the leaves of Campomanesia pubescens

Abstract

Campomanesia pubescens (Myrtaceae) is a native species found in Brazil [1]. The fruits are used to make liqueurs, juices, and sweets. The infusion leaves are used in folk medicine in the treatment of diarrhea and bladder diseases [2]. Pharmacological studies of the leaves of C. xanthocarpa reported antiulcerogenic activity [3] and help in reducing blood cholesterol [4]. Chemical studies of the leaves of this Campomanesia species have revealed the presence of quercetin, myricetin, and rutin by HPLC [5]. Studies of the seeds of C. lineatifolia reported the isolation of three yellow pigments named champanones [6]. Terpenoids, alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, C13-norisoprenoids, furanic compounds, and β-triketones were identified in volatile extracts from pulp, peels, leaves, and seeds of C. lineatifolia [7]. Essential oils of the leaves of species of the genus Campomanesia such as C. guazumifolia, C. xanthocarpa, and C. rhombea were found to be rich in sesquiterpenes, while in C. aurea oil monoterpenes were predominant [8]. Other studies of C. xanthocarpa [9] and C. phaea [10] also showed high amounts of sesquiterpenes. Studies of the fruit essential oil of C. adamantium revealed that ocimene, 3-carene and limonene were the major constituents [11]. Recent studies of the fruits of Campomanesia adamantium showed 30 components in the essential oil [12]. Other studied showed 40 components in the fruit essential oil of C. adamantium with predominance of α-pinene, limonene, and β-(Z)-ocimene [13]. This present paper describes the compounds identified from the essential oil of the leaves of C. pubescens. The essential oil compositions are presented in Table 1. Sixty-one components were identified in the leaf essential oil, representing 94.8% of the total oil. The monoterpenes constitute the dominant fraction in the oil (60.3%), and it was particularly rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons (87.3% of this fraction). The sesquiterpenes fraction showed 34.5% of the total oil. The classification of the oil compounds based on functional groups is presented at the end of Table 1. The major constituents identified (representing 53.5% of the oil) were limonene (22.4%), α-pinene (13.3%), sabinene (9.5%), bicyclogermacrene (4.4%), and linalool (3.9%). Studies of the leaves in other species of Campomanesia showed that they are rich in sesquiterpenes, except C. aurea that is rich in monoterpenes [8, 10]. In the fruit of C. adamantium the predominant compounds were monoterpenes such as α-pinene and limonene [13], which were the major constituents in the leaf essential oil of C. pubescens. This work represents our contribution to a better knowledge of the Campomanesia genus.