The volatile oils of the leaves of two Pelargonium species, P. exstipulatum (Cav.) L'Herit. and P. odoratissimum (L.) L'Herit. (Geraniaceae) and a hybrid, P. × fragrans, were obtained by steam distillation and the chemical components were identified by capillary GC and GC–MS. Methyl eugenol was high in P. odoratissimum and P. × fragrans; fenchone and limonene was common in all three, whilst thujene and α-pinene were high in P. exstipulatum and P. fragrans, showing that the probable parents of the latter were P. exstipulatum and P. odoratissimum. Pharmacological activity on smooth muscle in vitro showed that all three had a post-synaptic spasmolytic effect, which was mediated via cyclic AMP in P. odoratissimum and P. × fragrans. Microbiological activity against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Proteus vulgaris and Bacillus cereus was similar for P. odoratissimum and P. × fragrans, and resembled that of commercial geranium oil. The results suggest that these essential oils could be used as relaxant agents in aromatherapy products and as novel antimicrobial agents in food preservation or household products.
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Lis‐Balchin et al. (2000) studied this question.
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