Volatile Components of Roots, Stems, Leaves, and Flowers of Echinacea Species

The headspace volatile components of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of Echinacea angustifolia,E. pallida, and E. purpurea were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Over 70 compounds were identified in the samples. All plant tissues, irrespective of the species, contain acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, camphene, hexanal, beta-pinene, and limonene. The main headspace constituents of the aerial parts of the plant are beta-myrcene, alpha-pinene, limonene, camphene, beta-pinene, trans-ocimene, 3-hexen-1-ol, and 2-methyl-4-pentenal. The major headspace components of root tissue are alpha-phellandrene (present only in the roots of E. purpurea and E.angustifolia), dimethyl sulfide, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylpropanal, acetaldehyde, camphene, 2-propanal, and limonene. Aldehydes, particularly butanals and propanals, make up 41-57% of the headspace of root tissue, 19-29% of the headspace of the leaf tissue, and only 6-14% of the headspace of flower and stem tissues. Terpenoids including alpha- and beta-pinene, beta-myrcene, ocimene, limonene, camphene, and terpinene make up 81-91% of the headspace of flowers and stems, 46-58% of the headspace of the leaf tissue, and only 6-21% of the roots. Of the 70 compounds identified, >50 are reported in Echinacea for the first time.