Volatile Constituents of the Stem and Leaves ofCordiaSpecies from Mountain Forests of Pernambuco (North-eastern Brazil)

Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from stem and leaves of Cordia globosa (Jacq.) Hmb., Bonpl. et Kunth and Cordia curassavica (Jacq.) Roem. et Schult. were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. The oil yield of C. globosa and C. curassavica was 0.5% and 1.1% for the stem and 0.6% and 1.0% for the leaves, respectively. Although they belong to the same genus, the chemical composition of the oils from two Cordia species was very different. The main components in the oil of C. globosa were: 1-endo-bourbonanol (20.2% in stem) and linalyl butyrate (14.7% in stem); β-caryophyllene (39.0% in leaves) and α-humulene (12.1% in leaves). Spathulenol (27.1% in stem), trans-sesquisabinene hydrate (11.0% in stem), viridiflorol (10.7% in stem), β-phellandrene (25.3% in leaves), cubebol (23.9% in leaves) and α-pinene (10.4 % in leaves) were the main constituents of the oils of C. curassavica. Key Word Index: Cordia globosa Cordia curassavica Boraginaceaeessential oil compositionβ-caryophyllenespathulenolβ-phelandrenecubebol1-endo-bourbonanollinalyl butyrateα-humulene trans-sesquisabinene hydrateviridiflorolα-pinene