Monoterpenoid Constituents of the Volatile Oils of Cynometra megalophylla Harms., Caesalpinia pulcherrima L. Swartz and Pachylobus edulis G. Don., Growing in Nigeria

Abstract

The phytochemical investigation of the volatile oils from the root of Cynometra megalophylla Harms., the flower of Caesalpinia pulcherrima L. Swartz (Leguminosae) and the seeds of Pachylobus edulis G. Don (Burseraceae), by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) are being reported. The investigation led to the identification of 43, 19 and 44 compounds in the oils of C. megalophylla, C. pulcherrima and P. edulis, respectively. While the oils of the former were highly dominated by monoterpenoids (86.8%), that of the latter were exclusively made up of monoteprenoids (98.8%). The major compounds of the oils were α-phellandrene (32.0% and 36.5%), p-cymene (18.2% and 15.3%) and γ-terpinene (12.1% and 7.9%) in C. megalophylla and C. pulcherrima, respectively. However, α-pinene (13.7%), limonene (8.5%) and pentadecane (8.9%) constituted the bulk of the oil of P. edulis. It had 48.3% of monoterpenoids as well as 33.9% of straight-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons.