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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222608
Title: Composition of Ceanothus gregii oil as determined by steam distillation and solid-phase microextraction

Author
item Lucero, Mary
item Estell, Richard - Rick
item Frederickson, Eddie

Submitted to: Journal of Essential Oil Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2008
Publication Date: 3/1/2010
Citation: Lucero, M.E., Estell, R.E., Fredrickson, E.L. 2010. Composition of Ceanothus gregii oil as determined by steam distillation and solid-phase microextraction. Journal of Essential Oil Research. 22:140-142.

Interpretive Summary: Plant essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile compounds that may serve to attract pollinators and beneficial microbes, repel herbivores, or defend against pathogens. In industry, various plant essential oils are used for aromatic, chemical, or medicinal properties. The shrub species Ceanothus gregii, also known as "desert ceanothus" or "red root" is a woody shrub species found on the Jornada Experimental Range in southern New Mexico. Although the plant is valued as a folk remedy for various ailments, its essential oil composition is not found in readilly accessible reports. In the present study, the essential oil from C. greggi collected from a native stand on the Jornada Experimental Range was analyzed. Forty one compounds were identified. Methyl salicylate 16.8%, hexenal (11.8%) and n-decanal (7.0%) were the most abundant identified compounds.

Technical Abstract: Ceanothus gregii Gray was collected from the Jornada Experimental Range in south central New Mexico. Current year’s growth was collected from ten plants found within an approximate 50 m radius of the GPS coordinates N32°40.605’ and W106°33.486’at an altitude of 1,741 m during July 2001. Composite samples of the plants were steam distilled in triplicate, and the composite oil was analyzed using both GC-FID and GC/MS. The volatile composition of the same plants was also examined using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with a 100'm polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Mass spectra and retention indices were used to identify 41 previously described compounds. Methyl salicylate (16.8%), hexenal (11.8%) and n-decanal (7.0%) were the major identified compounds.