Sesquiterpene-rich volatile constituents of <i>Ipomoea obscura</i> (L.) Ker-Gawl.

<div><p>The hydro-distilled essential oil from flowering aerial parts of <i>Ipomoea obscura</i> (L.) Ker-Gawl. (Convolvulaceae) was investigated by using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionisation detector GC-FID and gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Forty-two components, representing 97.1% of the total oil, were identified. The major constituents of the essential oil were α-bulnesene (23.8%), α-humulene (13.7%) and seychellene (11.2%). The other minor constituents were α-guaiene (8.3%), β-caryophyllene (7.1%), γ-terpinene (4.2%), hexadecanoic acid (3.0%) and β-elemene (2.7%). The oil was found to be rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbon type constituents (78.4%).</p></div

<i>E</i>,<i>E</i>-<i>α</i>-Farnesene rich essential oil of <i>Saraca asoca</i> (Roxb.) Wilde flower

<p><i>Saraca asoca</i> (Roxb.) Wilde (Fabaceae) commonly known as ‘Ashoka’ is a highly valued medicinal plant categorised ‘vulnerable’ by International Union for Conservation of Nature. The hydro-distilled essential oil from the flowers of <i>S. asoca</i> was investigated using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Twenty-eight compounds representing 95.8% of the total oil were identified. The major constituents of the essential oil were <i>E</i>,<i>E</i>-<i>α</i>-farnesene (41.2%), hexadecanoic acid (15.3%), methyl salicylate (9.5%) and <i>Z</i>-lanceol (6.6%). The oil was found to be rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-type constituents.</p

Reinvestigation of carvotanacetone after 100 years along with minor terpenoid constituents of <i>Blumea malcolmii</i> Hook. F. essential oil

<p>Reinvestigation of essential oil constituents of <i>Blumea malcolmii</i> Hook. F. (Asteraceae) was carried out after 100 years using gas chromatography equipped with flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Eighteen constituents, representing 99.2% of the total oil, were identified. The major compound was identified by GC/MS and NMR (¹H and ¹³C) as carvotanacetone (92.1%). The minor compounds of essential oil have also been identified for the first time in <i>B. malcolmii</i>. The oil was found to be rich in oxygenated monoterpene-type constituents (95.0%).</p

<i>Mentha arvensis</i> essential oil suppressed airway changes induced by histamine and ovalbumin in experimental animals

<p>The present investigation aimed to evaluate the activity of the essential oil of <i>Mentha arvensis</i> L. on exogenously induced bronchoconstriction in experimental animals. The anti-asthmatic effect of <i>M. arvensis</i> essential oil (MAEO) was studied using histamine aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs and ovalbumin (OVA) sensitised albino mice. Treatment with <i>M. arvensis</i> oil significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) increased the time of preconvulsive dyspnoea in histamine-induced guinea pigs. Oral treatment of MAEO significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) decreased absolute eosinophil count, serum level of IgE and the number of eosinophils, neutrophils in BALF. Histopathological examination of lungs showed that essential oil rescinded bronchial asthma. The present investigation provides evidence that MAEO relaxes bronchial smooth muscles and suppressed immunological response to OVA.</p