VOLATILE CONSTITUENTS FROM THE AIR-DRIED LEAVES OF Mangifera indica LINN

Abstract

The medicinal plant Mangifera indica belongs to the Mangifera genus and the Anacardiaceae family, and it has varied therapeutic properties. This study aimed to characterize the bioactive volatile constituents found in the plant essential oil. The extraction of essential oil from Mangifera indica airdried leaves (200 g) was obtained by hydrodistillation in an all-glass Clevenger apparatus, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was carried out to identify the components. The essential oil obtained was a cloudy light yellow liquid with strong herbal odour and a yield of 0.083% (v/w). Fourteen constituents were identified, representing 78.47% of M. indica oil. The major components are; 3, 3-Diethyldiaziridine (12.49%), α-Gurjunene (10.95%), 1, 1-dimethyl-2-octyl
cyclobutane (9.43%), 1-Undecene-5-methyl (8.52%), Humulene (8.32%), (+)-β-selinene (7.89%), 1,2-diethylcyclobutane (Z) (7.88%) and β-Caryophyllene (5.20%). Sesquiterpenes (32.81%) and hydrocarbons (31.46%) were the predominant classes of chemical constituents in M. indica, while the others were heterocyclic compounds (12.49%), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (1.71%). The presence of sesquiterpenes and hydrocarbons as the major classes of compounds in the essential oil may justify the traditional use of the plant in treating pains, fever, inflammatory conditions, antioxidant activity and as an energy source.