Abstract

CHANG, Roberto et al. A new approach for quantifying furanodiene and curzerene: a case study on the essential oils of Eugenia uniflora L., Myrtaceae (pitangueira) leaves. Rev. bras. farmacogn. [online]. 2011, vol.21, n.3, pp. 392-396.  Epub Mar 25, 2011. ISSN 0102-695X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-695X2011005000042.

The essential oil obtained from the leaves of Eugenia uniflora L., Myrtaceae, which grows in the Brazilian savannah, was studied by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Furanodiene (1.2%) was thermally rearranged to curzerene (85.1%) to produce a combined content of 86.3%. GC analysis carried out under mild conditions (with a constant temperature of 100 ºC) showed that the furanodiene concentration was three-fold greater than the curzerene concentration, i.e., the essential oil contained 64.7% furanodiene and 21.6% curzerene. Germacrene B also rearranged to γ-elemene and the concentration of both was 2.3%. Special care should be taken when conventional gas chromatography analysis is used for quantifying compounds that can rearrange at high temperatures.

Keywords : Eugenia uniflora; pitangueira; volatile compounds gas; chromatographic analysis; thermal rearrangement; Brazilian savannah.