Cachrys libanotis is an Apiaceae widely distributed around the Mediterranean basin. This species has
been described for its phototoxicity due to several furocoumarines [2]. We report
here a study of the chemical composition of the essential oil of C. libanotis, collected in the east part of Algeria. The aerial parts of the plant have been hydrodistillated
and the oil has been studied by GC-MS and GC-FID. The identification of the components
has been performed by comparison of the mass spectral data with those described in
mass spectral libraries and by determination of the retention indices [3, 4]. The
composition is dominated by non oxygenated monoterpenes (28.4%) and by non oxygenated
sesquiterpenes (34.8%). Thirty eight compounds have been identified corresponding
to 81.1% of the total. The major compounds were Germacrene (18.0%), γ-terpinene (6.45%),
p-cymene (5.5%), caryophyllene oxide (5.1%) and limonene (5%)
References:
1. Quezel P. and Santa S. (1963) Nouvelle flore de l'Algérie et des régions désertiques
méridionales, Tome II. Edition CNRS, Paris
2. Ena P. et al. (1991) Dermatitis 22: 1–5.
3. Tranchant J. (1995). Manuel pratique de chromatographie en phase gazeuse, Masson,
Paris.
4. Adams R.P. (2001). Identification of essential oil components by gas chromatography/mass
spectrometry, Allured Publishing Corporation,
Carol Stream, 2nd edition.
