GC-MS Compositional Analysis of Essential Oil of Leaf and Fruit Rind of Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. from Coastal Karnataka, India.

Essential oils derived from plants by hydro distillation possess several medicinal properties. Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. fruit is nutritive, cardiotonic, refrigerant, in stomach troubles, puerperal sepsis and insanity; while leaves are useful in epilepsy, chorea, convulsive cough and stomach pain due to indigestion. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GCMS) has been used for detection and identification of volatile components from the hydro-distillate from leaf and rind of Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. of Rutaceae. Yield of oil was more in rind (0.12%) compared to leaf (0.07%). Forty two and thirty four compounds were detected from leaf and fruit respectively, among which citronellol (28.26%) was the major component in the leaves while D-limonene (89.04%) in the rind. Volatile compounds responsible for various medicinal properties are identified from hydro-distillate of Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. from Dakshina Kannada using GC-MS.

GC-MS characterization of n-hexane soluble compounds of Cyperus rotundus L. rhizomes.

Cyperus rotundus L., popularly known as nutgrass or nagarmotha, is commonly used in the traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders. In the present study, n-hexane extract from rhizomes of C. rotundus (HCR) was analyzed for its constituents using GC-MS technique. The rhizomes were collected, washed, shade dried and powdered. N-hexane extract was prepared by cold percolation method and preliminary phytochemical screening was carried out. It was subjected to Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) for the identification of components thereon. Preliminary phytochemical screening of HCR revealed the presence of phenolics, sterols and terpenoids. GC-MS data indicates the presence of twenty seven low polar components in HCR. The major identified molecules include hentriacontane (7.15%), triacontane (6.12%), nonacosane (5%), octacosane (4.38%), octadecane (2.35%), hexadecane (2.32%), eicosane (1.56%), pentatriacontane (1.43%), 9-di-tert-butyl-1-oxaspiro(4,5)deca-6,9-diene-2,8-dione (1.37%), Heneicosane, 3-methyl- (1.27%), α-cyperone (1.25%), heptadecane (1.15%) and gamma-Sitosterol (1%). As some of these constituents are known to possess anticancer activity, HCR could be used as an active therapeutic ingredient.