α-Pinene- and trans-caryophyllene-rich volatile female cones oil of Taxodium distichum L. from Northern Iran

The present study aimed to identify the chemical composition of essential oil from fresh female cones of Taxodium distichum collected in the winter season. The essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation method in a Clevenger-type apparatus and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifteen components were identified, accounting for 99.1% of the total oil volume. Monoterpenoids (75.3%) dominated the identified components in the essential oil, followed by a considerable portion of sesquiterpenoids (23.6%). Monoterpene hydrocarbons (MH) (73.3%) were the principal subclasses of components with α-pinene (63.6%), β-myrcene (3.67%), β-pinene (2.8%), and limonene (2.1%) as the main constituents. Trans-caryophyllene (13.3%) and caryophyllene oxide (8%) were the representatives of the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpene, respectively.