Volatiles From Leaves and Flowers of Borage ( Borago officinalis L.)

The essential oils obtained from the fresh leaves and flowers of Borago officinalis collected in the region of Amdoun (northwestern Tunisia) were examined by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-three volatile compounds were identified. The oil yields expressed on a dry weight basis were 0.14% and 0.24% for the leaves and flowers, respectively. The main compound determined in flower and leaf oil was (E,E)-2,4-decadienal with 43.4% and 26.9% in the leaf and flower oils, respectively. The oils from the two organs showed the predominance of the aldehyde class which constituted 61.2% and 61.9% in the leaf and flower oils, respectively. Other classes present in important percentages in the two organs were alcohols (22.4%) in the leaf oil and phenols (13.2%) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (12.2%) in the flower oil.