Essential 0il of Self-Pollinated Plants of Mentha aquatica with Sesquiterpene Alcohols as Major Components (Chemical Constituents of Wild Mints, part XX)

Abstract

This report deals with the essential oil of 27 self-pollinated S₁ plants derived from Mentha aquatica, which contains 1, 8-cineole, menthofuran, and the sesquiterpene alcohols elemol and viridiflorol as major components. These S₁ plants could be grouped into four chemotypes by comparison of the composition of the components in each oil obtained during flowering (August to September l993). The chemotype of 12 S₁ plants was very similar to that of the parent plant, which contains as major components 1, 8-cineole (4.0-9.5%), menthofuran (16.5-24.8%), β-caryophyllene (3.4-8.9 %), germacrene D (3.8-10.7%), elemol (10.8-20.4 %), and viridiflorol (8.5-16.3%). Eight other S₁ plants were of the menthofuran (31.5-45.1%) chemotype, and the chemotype of four other S₁ plants was of elemol (18.2-23.1%) and viridiflorol (16.1-21.8%). The chemotype of three other S₁ plants was of β-caryophyllene (13.8-18.5%) and germacrene D (19.6-21.2%). The menthofuran and β-caryophyllene-germacrene D chemotypes contained much viridiflorol (5.9-14.8%) and little elemol (0.0-0.8%).