Chemical composition of the essential oils and headspace samples of two helichrysum species occurring in Spain

Abstract

The oils obtained by hydrodistillation and the headspace volatiles from the aerial parts of Helichrysum italicum ssp. serotinum (Boiss) and H. stoechas ssp. stoechas (Moench) were analyzed by means of GC and GC/MS. Both oils were found to be dominated by non-oxygenated monoterpenes. A total of 68 compounds were identified. The major components of H. italicum ssp. serotinum were guaiol (8.9%), nerol (7.0%) and β-caryophyllene (6.0%), while those of H. stoechas ssp. stoechas were: α-pinene (28.3%), epi-α-bisabolol (21.9%) and β-caryophyllene (5.5%). Furthermore, the bacteriostatic activity of the oils against two Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria was evaluated. © 1999, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved