Abstract:
Objective Essential oils in various tissues of Melaleuca alternifolia were analyzed for data organization and utilization of the plants.
Method GC-MS was employed to determine the essential oil compositions in the young shoots, old leaves, branches, and stems of the terpinen-4-ol-type M. alternifolia plants for a principal component analysis.
Result The essential oils in different parts of the plant differed significantly. In particular, the contents of terpinen-4-ol and1,8-cineole in the stems were significantly different from those in the other parts. The principal component analysis showed that β-phellanderene, viridiflorene, viridiflorol, aromadendrene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, α-thujene, α-pinene, globulol, α-terpineol, 1,8-cineole, and limonene basically characterized the essential oils in M. alternifolia.
Conclusion To maximize the yield and quality of the essential oil extraction, stems ought not to be used as the raw material for the production. To determine the essential oil content of M. alternifolia, only the 13 abovementioned compounds were necessary to simplify the analysis.