Chemical Variation and Environmental Influence on Essential Oil of <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i>

Ting Zhang; Yongjie Zheng; Chao Fu; Haikuan Yang; Xinliang Liu; Fengying Qiu; Xindong Wang; Zongde Wang

doi:10.3390/molecules28030973

Molecules (Jan 2023)

Chemical Variation and Environmental Influence on Essential Oil of <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i>

Ting Zhang,
Yongjie Zheng,
Chao Fu,
Haikuan Yang,
Xinliang Liu,
Fengying Qiu,
Xindong Wang,
Zongde Wang

Affiliations

Ting Zhang: College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, East China Woody Fragrance and Flavor Engineering Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Nanchang 330045, China
Yongjie Zheng: Camphor Engineering and Technology Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang 330032, China
Chao Fu: Camphor Engineering and Technology Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang 330032, China
Haikuan Yang: Camphor Engineering and Technology Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang 330032, China
Xinliang Liu: Camphor Engineering and Technology Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang 330032, China
Fengying Qiu: Camphor Engineering and Technology Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang 330032, China
Xindong Wang: Camphor Engineering and Technology Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang 330032, China
Zongde Wang: College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, East China Woody Fragrance and Flavor Engineering Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Nanchang 330045, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28030973
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 28, no. 3
p. 973

Abstract

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Cinnamomum camphora is a traditional aromatic plant used to produce linalool and borneol flavors in southern China; however, its leaves also contain many other unutilized essential oils. Herein, we report geographic relationships for the yield and compositional diversity of C. camphora essential oils. The essential oils of 974 individual trees from 35 populations in 13 provinces were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection, respectively. Oil yields ranged from 0.01% to 3.46%, with a significantly positive correlation with latitude and a significantly negative correlation with longitude. In total, 41 compounds were identified, including 15 monoterpenoids, 24 sesquiterpenoids, and two phenylpropanoids. Essential oil compositions varied significantly among individuals and could be categorized into various chemotypes. The six main chemotypes were eucalyptol, nerolidol, camphor, linalool, selina, and mixed types. The other 17 individual plants were chemotypically rare and exhibited high levels of methyl isoeugenol, methyl eugenol, δ-selinene, or borneol. Eucalyptol-type plants had the highest average oil yield of 1.64%, followed in decreasing order by linalool-, camphor-, mixed-, selina-, and nerolidol-type plants. In addition, the five main compounds exhibited a clear geographic gradient. Eucalyptol and linalool showed a significantly positive correlation with latitude, while selina-6-en-4-ol was significantly and negatively correlated with latitude. trans-Nerolidol and selina-6-en-4-ol showed significantly positive correlations with longitude, whereas camphor was significantly and negatively correlated with longitude. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that environmental factors could strong effect the oil yield and essential oil profile of C. camphora.

Published in Molecules

ISSN: 1420-3049 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules

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