Medicinal used plants from lndia: analysis of the essential oil of air-dried Biophvtum sensitivum (L.) DC.

The essential oil of the air-dried plant Biophytum sensitivum (L.) DC. (Oxalidaceae) from Southern lndia was investigated by gas chromatographic-spectroscopic (GC-FID and GC-MS) and olfactoric methods to identify compounds responsible for the characteristic odor as well as partly for the folk medicinal use of this plant. Especially benzene derivatives, such as 1,4-dimethoxy benzene (24.9%), 1,2-dimethoxy benzene (10.6%) and 2-methoxy-4-methyl phenol (3.5%), the monoterpenes (Z)-linalool oxide (8.1%), (E)-linalool oxide (5.2%) and linalyl acetate (3.4%) as well as l-octen-3-ol (9.5%) and isophorone (3.1%) were found to be main constituents (concentrations higher than 3%, calculated as relative %-peak area of GC-FID analysis using an apolar column) of this essential oil, with totally 69 compounds identified. In addition, the odor impression of the sample is described and the possible biological activity of single volatiles discussed.