Drimys brasiliensis essential oil as a source of drimenol

Abstract

Drimys brasiliensis Miers is a native plant species to the Atlantic Forest, commonly known as cataia, and used as a stimulant, anti-diahrreal, antipyretic, among other properties. Dried and fresh leaves of cataia were collected in autumn/2012, submitted to hydrodistillation in a Clevenger graduated apparatus over a period of 4 hours after reaching the boiling point, then essential oil was collected. In oil from green leaves, 49 compounds were identified, being 65.0% sesquiterpenes, 12.0% monoterpenes and 23.0% other substances. In oil from dry leaves, 40 compounds were identified, being 76.1% sesquiterpenes, 2.0% monoterpenes and 21.9% other compounds. The main constituents in green leaves were germacrene D (8.9%), bicyclegermacrene (5.3%), epialpha-cadinol (5.1%), alpha-cadinol (6.0%), and drimenol (9.3%). In dry leaves the main constituents were germacrene D (6.3%), (E)-nerodidol (5.4%), spathulenol (9.5%), epi-alpha-cadinol (5.5%), alpha-cadinol (6.7%), and drimenol (11.6%). Due to its composition, the species may possibly present some biological activities like antifungical, antibacterial, insectifuge, molluscicide, and also the pharmacological properties that the species may present.