Value-added products from Pinus banksiana wood

Abstract

Pinus banksiana Lambert (Pinaceae) is a boreal conifer species, with a sparse, variable crown and spreading branches at maturity. The species is widely available in Canada, and an important timber species for pulp and lumber [1]. In this work, the chemical composition, such as ash, lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose contents, of the P. banksiana wood chips from Eastern Canada, was determined. In addition to timber and pulp, P. banksiana wood may be a rich source of unexploited potentially novel bioactive compounds. A previous study showed that P. banksiana wood extracts possessed strong antioxidant and anti-tumor activities [2]. In this work, the chemical constituents of the extractives from P. banksiana wood were further investigated. The GC-MS results of essential oils from P. banksiana wood showed that there were 76 volatile compounds presented, including phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids and terpenoids. Among those determined, 1-Naphthalenecarboxylic acid was the most abundant (29.06%). Based on the successive Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographic separation of P. banksiana wood aided by Thin Layer Chromatography, 5 yellowish low-molecular-weight natural compounds, including 2 flavan-3-ols [(+)-Catechin (I) and (-)-Epicatechin (II)], a phenolic acid [Caffeic acid (III)], a phenylpropanoid [Isoconiferin (IV)] as well as a lignan [Cedrusin (V)], were isolated. Structure elucidation of the isolates was based on their physiochemical and spectroscopic data. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time of isolation low-molecular-weight natural compounds from P. banksiana wood. The results in the study might lead to the further development of high value-added products from this pine species.