Chemical Constituents of the Leaf, Stem, Root and Seed Essential Oils of Aframomum melegueta (K. Schum) from South West Nigeria

Aframomum melegueta leaf, stem, root and seed essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and were analyzed by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Twenty components were identified in the leaf essential oil. The major components were mrytenyl acetate (29.06%), isolimonene (19.47%) and γ-elemene (8.84%). Twenty-seven components were identified in the stem essential oil with the main components as caryophyllene oxide (19.70%), mrytenyl acetate (14.70%), β-eudesmene (10.83%) and β-caryophyllene (10.13%). In the rootessential oil, twentyfive compounds were identified. The major components were mrytenyl acetate (22.70%), pinocarvyl acetate (11.50%) and cyperene (8.96%). Nine components were identified in the seed essential oil with the main components being α-caryophyllene (48.78%), β-caryophyllene (32.50%) and linalool (5.40%). The composition of the essential oils from different parts of the plant varied in quality and in quantity.