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Journal of Essential Oil Research

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A New Chemotype of Eugenia

uniflora L. from North Brazil
a b b
J. G.S. Maia , E. H.A. Andrade , M. H.L. da Silva & M.
b
G.B. Zoghbi
a
Universidade Federal do Pará, Departamento de Química ,
CP 8600, 66075-900, Belém, PA, Brazil
b
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Departamento de Botânica ,
CP 399, 66040-170, Belem, PA, Brazil
Published online: 09 Dec 2011.

To cite this article: J. G.S. Maia , E. H.A. Andrade , M. H.L. da Silva & M. G.B. Zoghbi (1999)
A New Chemotype of Eugenia uniflora L. from North Brazil, Journal of Essential Oil Research,
11:6, 727-729, DOI: 10.1080/10412905.1999.9712006

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1999.9712006

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 J. &sent. Oil Rex, 11,727-729 (Nov/Dec 1999)

A New Chemotype of Eugenia uniflora L.

from North Brazil

J.G.S. Maia
Universidade Federal do Para, Departamento de Quimica, CP 8600, 66075-900, Belkm, PA, Brazil
E . H A Andrade, M.H.L. da Suva and M.G.B. Zoghbi'
Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Departamento de BotcEnica, CP399, 66040-170, Belem, PA, Brazil
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Abstract
The essential oil of leaves and thin branches of Eugenia untflora, cultivated at
gardens of the city of BelCm, Brazil, was investigated by GC/MS. The main
components identified were germacrone (32.8%>, curzerene (30.0%) and
germacrene B (15.6%).
Key Word Index
Eugenia unzjlora, Myrtaceae, essential oil composition, germacrone, curzerene,
germacrene B.

Plant Name
Eugenia unzflora L. (syn. Eugenia michelii Lam., E. pitanga (Berg) Kiaerskov, Stenocalyx michelii
(Lam.) Berg, S. pitanga Berg (l), Myrtaceae; local name: pitanga, pitangueira, ginja.
Source
The plant was collected in the city of Belkm, State of Pad, Brazil. It is a edible tree cultivated on
gardens and yards to furnishing a delicious small red fruits. Voucher specimen (#151.506) is being
preserved in the Herbarium of the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, BelCm (PA).
Plant Part
Leaves and thin branches were air-dried for seven days and submitted to hydrodistillation for 4 h,
producing a oil yield of 1.8%.
Previous Work
Cultivation and propagation methods, and studies of nutritional value of the fruits of E.unzflorahave
been studied (1). The toxic effects of the CH,Cl,, AcOEt and hydroalcoholic extracts were evaluated (2).
The hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves showed some central nervous system activity (3). The anti-
inflammatory action was described for the aqueous extract; no analgesic or antimicrobial activities were
observed with the aqueous and ethanol extracts (4). The oil of E. uniJ7ora was previously studied. The
oil of these plants have shown that they differ in composition according to geographic origin of the
plants. The oil obtained in Argentina contained limonene, pulegone, carvone and nerolidol as the major
constituents (5). The analyzed oil from Nigeria contained a mixture of furanodiene + furanoelemene,

'Address for correspondence Received: August 1998

Revised: October 1998
1 0 4 1 - 2 9 0 5 / 9 9 / 0 0 0 6 - 0 7 2 7 $ 0 4 . 0 0 / ~ ~Allured
1~ Publishing Corp. Accepted: December 1998
 728 MAIAETAL.

Table 1. Volatile constituents of oil of Euaenia uniflora

Constituents RI Percentage Constituents RI Percentage

Myrcene 989 0.3 Curzerene 1496 30.0

(Z)-p-Ocimene 1037 0.4 a-Bulnesene 1507 0.7
(E)-0-Ocimene 1047 0.9 Germacrene B 1556 15.6
8-Elemene 1337 0.2 Spathulenol 1576 0.9
P-Eiemene 1392 2.6 Globulol 1584 1.8
P-Caryophyllene 1419 3.8 trans-e-Elemenone 1602 1.4
y-Elemene 1432 1.o Atractylone 1655 4.0
Germacrene D 1479 1.9 Germacrone 1694 32.8
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D-Selinene 1486 0.3

selina-l,3,7(1l)-trien-8-one and oxidoselina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-oneas the main constituents (6).

From Brazil, the oil analyzed in the State of Rio Grande d o Sul (South Brazil), contained p-selinene,
a-selinene and nerolidol as the principal components (7); the oil produced in the State of Ceara
(Northeastern Brazil) contained selina-l,3,7(1l)-trien-8-one and oxidoselina-l,3,7(1 l)-trien-8-one as the
major constituents (8). Therefore, some chemotypes of E. unzflora are known in the World, as cited above.
The present paper describes a new chemotype occurring at Brazilian Amazon Region.

Present Work
The oil was analyzed on a Finnigan GUMS system (gas chromatograph Varian model 3400, mass
spectrometer Finnigan model INCOS-XL) with the following conditions: column: DB-5 fused silica
(30 m X 0.25 mm; 0.25 pm film thickness); carrier gas: helium, adjusted to a linear velocity of 32 c d s e c
(measured at 100°C); injector temperature: 220OC; temperature programmed: 60"-240°C (3"C/min);
injection type: splitless (1 pL, of a 1:lOOO hexane solution): mass spectra: 70 eV (in EI mode). Individual
components were identified by comparison of both mass spectrum and their GC retention data with
those of authentic compounds previously analyzed and stored in the data system. Other identifications
were made by comparison of mass spectra with those in the data system libraries and cited on the
literature (9). The retention index was calculated for all volatile constituents using a homologous series
of n-alkanes. The identified compounds are listed in Table I. This oil was found to be rich in germacrone
(32.8%), curzerene (30.0%) and germacrene B (15.6%). Concerning the principal compounds found in
previously analyzed specimens of E.unzJ7oraof Argentina, Nigeria and South and Northeastern Brazil
(5-8), only p-selinene was detected in the variety of North Brazil. For that reason we believe that this
is a new chemotype of E. uniflora.
Acknowledgments
This paper was support by PPG-7World Bank.
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