Yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of Moroccan chamomile [Cladanthus mixtus (L.) Chevall.] growing wild at different sites in Morocco

Abstract

The chemical variability of the essential oils isolated from Moroccan chamomile [Cladanthus mixtus (L.) Chevall.] full flowering aerial parts, was evaluated. C. mixtus populations were collected from nine regions in Morocco: Benguerir, Bouznika, Chefchaouane, Kenitra, Meknes, Oujda, Settat, Sidi Alal Ibahraoui and Tamesna. The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The yields of the essential oils ranged between 0.1% and 0.8% (v/d.w.). Only five of the nine essential oil samples analysed showed good correlation after agglomerative cluster analysis based on the chemical composition of the essential oils. These samples (Benguerir, Kenitra, Settat, Meknes and Tamesna) were characterized by the dominance of camphor (14–27%), β‐myrcene (3–17%) and santolina triene (3–15%). All these and Chefchaouane essential oils showed a blue colour, whereas Oujda, Bouznika and Sidi Alal Ibahraoui essential oils were yellow. β‐Myrcene (3–17%), trans‐β‐farnesene (18%) and 2‐tridecanone (16%) dominated the Chefchaouane essential oil, whereas trans‐β‐farnesene (43%) was the main component in the Oujda essential oil. 2‐Methyl‐2‐trans‐butenyl methacrylate (34%) dominated sample Bouznika, while santolina alcohol and 1,8‐cineole (17% and 12%, respectively) in the Sidi Alal Ibahraoui essential oil. The variability of Moroccan chamomile essential oil may reflect negatively upon its quality, biological activity and commercial value, thus harvests from the wild population should be avoided. To meet the high‐quality standards and production efficiency, cultivation techniques adapted to local soil types and weather conditions, as well the correct selection of plant varieties most suited to the market should be followed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Composition and Chemical Variability of the Essential Oil from Aerial Parts of Cladanthus scariosus, an Endemic Species to the Moroccan High Atlas

“…The composition of C. scariosus essential oil differed drastically from those reported for the common Moroccan C. mixtus (Synonyms: Anthemis mixta , Chamaemelum mixtum , Ormenis mixta ) essential oils that displayed a fair chemical variability. Indeed, most compositions, recently reviewed [28] were dominated by a major component: santolina alcohol (24.1–55.1 %); [29,30] (E)‐β‐farnesene (35.5–50.5 %); [31,32] 2‐methyl‐2‐E‐butenyl methacrylate (32.0–35.2 %); [31–33] camphor (21.4 %); [31,34] α‐thujone (51.8 %) [35] . The composition of C. scariosus essential oil varied also from that of the essential oil from C. eriolepis , endemic to Morocco, dominated either by camphor (37.0 %); [36] α‐pinene (13.0 %), isobutyl angelate (10.7 %), 2‐methybutyl angelate (9.5 %); [37] iso‐butyl isobutyrate (21.2/20.8 %), iso‐butyl angelate (22.0/22.4 %) [16] …”

Chemical Characterization of Three Artemisia tridentata Essential Oils and Multivariate Analyses: A Preliminary Investigation

“…29 It has been subsequently identified in several essential oils of the Asteraceae, including Tanacetum dumosum , 30 Achillea falcata , 31 Achillea ligustica , 32 and Achillea lingulata . 33 trans -α-Necrodyl acetate is a major component of Lavandula luisieri , 34,35 but it has also been found in the essential oils of Cladanthus mixtus (Asteraceae) 36 and Achillea ageratifolia (Asteraceae). 37 Grandisol is a sex pheromone of the boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis ) and the pine weevil ( Pissodes castaneus ).…”

Structures, Occurrences and Biosynthesis of 11,12,13-Tri-nor-Sesquiterpenes, an Intriguing Class of Bioactive Metabolites

“…Compound 95 has also been identified in extracts from Pimpinella [ 30 , 41 , 43 , 50 ], in Eupatorium odoratum species [ 274 ] and in the oil of Moroccan chamomile Cladanthus mixtus (L.) Chevall [ 275 ].…”