Abstract

Volatile constituents of Nardostachys jatamansi DC., a critically endangered species

Author(s): Kamran J.Naquvi, S.H.Ansari, Mohd. Ali, A.K.Najmi

The hydro-distilled volatile oil of Nardostachys jatamansi rhizomes was analyzed using GC and GC-MS. The volatile oil was consists of large number of sesquiterpenes (76.65 %) and aliphatic components (16.29 %) while monoterpenes (5.11 %) and diterpenes (1.48%) were present in less amounts. Prominent sesquiterpenes were t-cadinol (22.67%), á-eudesmol (3.00%), 5-neo-cedranol (2.51%), muurolol (1.37%) and jatamansone or valeranone (36.71 %). Among fourteen aliphatic components, there were six aliphatic hydrocarbons (1.47%), three were aliphatic alcohols (0.47%), one aliphatic aldehyde (0.04 %) and two each aliphatic esters (12.74 %), and aliphatic acids (1.57 %). Hexadecanoic ethyl ester and tetradecanoic acid (1.51 %) were the predominent among aliphatic components.