Composition and Enantiomeric Analysis of the Essential Oil of the Fruits and the Leaves of Pistacia vera from Greece

Abstract: The essential oils of the fruits and the leaves of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Fresh unripe pistachio fruits were richer in essential oil (0.5 %, w/w) than the leaves (0.1 %, w/w). Twenty one compounds were identified in the essential oil of the fruits and the major components were (+)-α-pinene (54.6 %) and terpinolene (31.2 %). The enantiomeric ratio of the major constituents of the essential oil of the fruits was determined using chiral GC/MS and it was found that the (+)/(-)-α-pinene ratio was 99.5:0.5, (+)/(-)-limonene 80:20, (+)/(-)-β-pinene 96:4, and (+)/(-)-α-terpineol 0:100. Thirty three compounds were identified in the essential oil of the leaves and the major components were found to be α-pinene (30.0 %), terpinolene (17.6 %) and bornyl acetate (11.3 %).