Analysis of essential oil from Mondia whitei (Hook. f.) Skeels roots using GC-HRT-MS and GCxGC-HRT-MS

Mondia whitei (Hook. f.) Skeels, also known as "White's ginger", is one of those plants that have been used for centuries across the African continent to treat various ailments. It is used traditionally for various purposes, such as medicinal, where it is used to treat mental health and stomach problems, and popularly as an aphrodisiac. Several studies have investigated the active compounds responsible for the aphrodisiac effects of the plant. These studies have identified various active compounds, including steroidal saponins, alkaloids, and flavonoids. However, there is limited information available about the essential oil of Mondia whitei . In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and two-dimensional gas chromatography high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GCxGC-HRT-MS) were used to identify the compounds found in Mondia whitei (Hook. f.) Skeels. The oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, yielding a yellowish-brown oil with a vanilla aroma. Thirty-eight compounds were identified using GC-MS, and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde was the most abundant. The analysis of the oil using the superior GCxGC-HRT-MS resulted in the identification of fifty-one compounds, whereby 53.26% of the identified compounds were esters. This study has identified far more compounds in this plant than reported before, and the compounds that were tentatively identified support some of the biological activities that have been reported for Mondia whitei .