Chemical Composition and Interpopulation Variability of Essential Oils of Taxus baccata L. from Serbia

Abstract

The composition of the essential oil of the twigs and needles of Taxus baccata L. from three natural populations in Serbia has been determined by GC/MS analysis. Of the 91 detected compounds, 87 were identified. The most abundant compound classes were aliphatic alcohols, terpenes, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and aliphatic aldehydes, which together comprised ca. 86.92% of the total oil composition. The dominant constituents were oct-1-en-3-ol (23.48%), (3Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol (11.46%; aliphatic alcohols), and myrtenol (11.38%; oxygenated monoterpene). The PCA of 22 selected compounds revealed differentiations of populations based on geographic distribution. The CA showed that Populations I and II from the Dinaric Alps were similar, and that Population III from the Balkan mountain system was distinct. This was the first investigation of interpopulation variability of T. baccata populations based on essential oil composition. The results of this study were compared with those of previous studies concerning volatile compounds produced by Taxus species. The results indicate that the essential oil content of T. baccata populations from this study is unique, mostly resembling the population from southeast Serbia.

Bioactive Components, Volatile Profile and In Vitro Antioxidative Properties of Taxus baccata L. Red Arils

“…RA samples from Koszalin contained more VCs compared to the other three sites (56 and 44–45). To our best knowledge, the VC profile of RAs has not been studied thus far, in contrast to studies in which the VCs of the needles (leaves) or twigs of Taxus baccata L. and Taxus canadensis were analyzed [ 36 , 37 ].…”

“…Alcohols quantitatively dominated in the VC profile of RAs, with their highest content (48.77%) and the greatest diversity found in the samples from the Koszalin site. The leaves of Taxus baccata L., originated from different sites in Serbia, dominated the share of alcohols (30.8–50.1%) [ 37 ]. Among seventeen alcohols, five dominated quantitatively: ethanol, 1-hexanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,3-butanediol and benzenemethanol.…”

“…Five of twelve terpenoids (D-limonene, α-pinene, β-pinene, p-cymene) were found in RAs from all sites. These terpenes were also detected in Taxus baccata L needles [ 37 ]. Among them, the content of D-limonene, which gives the fruity and citrus flavor, dominated (1.33–2.87%).…”

“…Unlike monoterpenes, terpenoids were rarely present in the RA samples; myrtenol, a marker VC in Taxus baccata L needles, was found in RAs from three locations ( Table 3 ) [ 37 ]. Other terpenoids such as 4-thujanol, terpinen-4-ol and menthol were detected in samples from the Koszalin and Cracow sites ( Table 3 ).…”

“…RA samples from Koszalin contained more VCs compared to the other three sites (56 and 44-45). To our best knowledge, the VC profile of RAs has not been studied thus far, in contrast to studies in which the VCs of the needles (leaves) or twigs of Taxus baccata L. and Taxus canadensis were analyzed [36,37]. Alcohols quantitatively dominated in the VC profile of RAs, with their highest content (48.77%) and the greatest diversity found in the samples from the Koszalin site.…”