Volatile compunds from leaves and flowers of Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) Stirt. (Fabaceae) from Italy.

Abstract

The volatile fraction of Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) Stirt. was isolated by steam distillation from fresh aerial tissues and analysed by GC and GC–MS. Leaves from six accessions collected in central and south Italy and flowers from a single accession were used in this investigation. The yield in essential oil from the leaves and flowers was 0.1–0.3% and 0.2% of fresh material, respectively. A wide range in volatile quantitative composition was detected. Alcohols and sesquiterpenes were identified as the major compounds in both types of tissue samples. The former constituted 36.6–62.3% of the total leaf oil and 53.0% of the flower oil; the latter, 18.1–31.5% of the leaf oil and 13.7% of the leaf oil and 13.7% of the flower oil. Hydrocarbons (4.3–9.1% in leaves, 7.6% in flowers), phenolics (4.3–7.8% in leaves, 2.6% in flowers), furanocoumarins (3.0– 4.7% in leaves, 4.9% in flowers) and monoterpenes (1.4–2.9% in leaves, 1.9% in flowers) were also detected. Aldehydes, sulphurated compounds, esters, acids and miscellaneous compounds, together constituting 1.1–5.1% in the leaves and 4.7% in the flowers, were also identified and quantified in lower amount. The presence of furanocoumarins, phenol derivatives and sulphurated compounds were detected for the first time in the volatile oil from this species. A possible relationship between volatile chemical composition and the characteristic, strong ‘oil’ odour of this species is discussed.