The Essential Oils of Some Australian Cassytha Species (Lauraceae)

Abstract

The essential oils of three Australian species of the genus Cassytha have been investigated using GC and GC/MS. Cassytha filiformis produced an oil that was sesquiterpenoid in nature, with bicyclogermacrene (12–26%), spathulenol (27–36%) and β-caryophyllene (5–10%) being the principal components. Cassytha pubescens appeared to exist in several chemical types. A Principal Components Analysis of the oils appeared to indicate that there were three chemical types present in the 13 collections. The first variety contained (E)-nerolidol (26.7%) and β-caryophyllene (23.5%) as major components. The second chemical variety of this species showed elevated levels of α-copaene (4–6%), moderate amounts of β-caryophyllene (8–14%), caryophyllene oxide (3–17%) and bicyclogermacrene (2–9%), and high levels of spathulenol (27–32%). The third variety was more variable and contained significant amounts of spathulenol (4–21%), bicyclogermacrene (2–40%), β-caryophyllene (1–31%), and aromadendrene (0.7–10%). The principal component of C. capillaris oil was spathulenol (31%). The oil yields, in all species, were 0.1% or less.