H.T.T.Hai, C.T.T. Lam, T.D.Thang, N.X.Dung Chemical composition , TR. 42-46 42
Chemical composition of the fruit oil of

Michelia sp.
from Vietnam - A New Natural Source of Safrole Ha Thi Thanh Hai
(a)
, Chu Thi Thanh Lam
(a)
,
Tran Dinh Thang
(b)
, Nguyen Xuan Dung
(c)Abstract. The volatile components of the fruit oil of Michelia sp. from Nghean
province, were analysed by Capillary Gas chromatograph (GC) and Gas
chromatograph/Mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) as well as by background subtraction of
coeluting compounds.
A total 33 compounds were identified of which the major component was safrole
(93.41%). The lesser amount were limonene (1.19%) and linalool (2.46%). This result
shows that Michelia sp. from Nghe an as a new source of safrole.


NhËn bµi ngµy 29/5/2008. Söa ch÷a xong 28/10/2008.

tr−êng §¹i häc Vinh T¹p chÝ khoa häc, tËp XXXVII, sè 4a-2008 43
oil were α-pinene (18.41%), α-, β-phellandrene (17.36% and 7.42%), germacrene D
(17.98%) and bicyclogermacrene (7.55%). The lesser amounts were β-myrcene
(3.88%), δ-elemene (5.11%) and β-caryophyllene (3.47%) [4].
The leaf oil of M. montana from India were prepared by hydrodistillation and
analysed by a combination of GC and GC/MS. Thirty components have been
identified. The major constituents were found to be asaricin (81.8%) and safrole
(13.0%) [5].
The essential oil in Michelia leaves was extracted by steam distillation. The
oil obtained was dried with anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Thirty three peaks were
separated by GC, and 27 of them were identified by MS with NBS mass spectral
data and Wiley/NBS registry of mass spectral data. The structure of linalool was
further verified by GC/FTIR. The identified constituents represent 97% of the peak
area of the essential oil on FID. The major chemical constituent of them are linalool,
trans-caryophyllene and diethyl-o-phthalate [6].
In the course of the systematic study of Michelia from Indochina, mono-,
sesquiterpenes and other components of the fruit oil of Michelia sp. from Nghean
province have been investigated.
2. Experimental
Source: Fruits of Michelia sp. were collected in Pu Huong National Park,
Nghean province. A voucher specimen (NLN5) is deposited at the Herbarium of the

Chemstation HP [8, 9].
3. Results and discussion
Thirty-three compounds identified in the fruit oil of Michelia sp. from
Vietnam are listed in Table 1 together with their experimental Kovats indices and
H.T.T.Hai, C.T.T. Lam, T.D.Thang, N.X.Dung Chemical composition , TR. 42-46 44
relative peak areas.
Table 1: The chemical composition of the fruit oil of Michelia sp. from Vietnam
No Compounds KI %FID

1

α-pinene
939 trace
2

fenchene 953 trace
3

β-pinene
980 0.10
4

myrcene 990 0.23
5

14

allo-ocimene 1132 trace
15

p-mentha-1,5-dien-8-ol 1166 trace
16

p-cymen-8-ol (1167-1183) 1176 trace
17

α-terpineol
1179 trace
18

safrole 1287 93.42

19

piperonal 1332 trace
20

eugenol 1359 0.16
21

α-copaene
1376 trace
22

methyleugenol 1407 trace

31

caryophyllene oxide 1581 0.12
32

isopathulenol 1638 trace
33

vulgarol B 1647 trace

The results of the analysis demonstrate that approximately (99.00%) (33
compounds) of the essential oil were identified. The fruit oil of Michelia was
composed mainly of oxygenated compounds (96.34 %). The major component was
safrole (93.42%) other compounds present in significant amounts were limonene
(1.19%) and linalool (2.46%).
The monoterpene hydrocarbons and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons contain
small amounts (2.84%, 0.10%). The mixture of the oxygenated compounds such as
(Z)-linalool oxide (trace), rosefuran (trace), linalool (2.46%), allo ocimene (trace), p-
tr−êng §¹i häc Vinh T¹p chÝ khoa häc, tËp XXXVII, sè 4a-2008 45
metha-1,5-dien-8-ol (trace), p-cymen-8-ol (trace), α-terpineol (trace), safrole (93.42%)
piperonal (trace), eugenol (0.16%), methyleugenol (trace), spathulenol (0.18%),
caryophyllene oxide (0.12%), isospathulenol (trace) and vulgarol B (trace) furnisches
the typical odor impressions.
Safrole is an important raw material for the chemical industry because of

governmental institutions could produce a sustainable alternative crop for the
tropical rainforest.
Acknowledgements: The Authors wish to thank Dr. B. M. Lawrence,
Editor in Chief of the Journal of Essential Oil Research (USA) for his support in
literature.

References

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Capparaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St.
Louis. In Preparation.
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[2] Oyen L.P.A. and Dung N. X. (Editors), Plant Resources of South East Asia, N
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Essential Oil Plants, Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, the Netherlands, 1999.
[3] Zhu Liangfeng et al., Aromatic Plants and Essential Constituents, Hai Feng
Publishing Co., Hong Kong, 1993.
[4] Dung N. A, Thang T. D. and Dung N. X., Chemical Composition of the Leaf Oil of
Michelia balansae (A.DC.) Dandy from Vietnam, Journal of Essential Oil
Bearing Plants, 8 (1), 2005, 11-15.
[5] Genderen V., Marcel H.P., Leclercq P. A., Delgado H. S., Kanjilal P. B., Singh R.
S., Compositional analysis of the leaf oils of Piper callosum Ruiz & Pav. from
Peru and Michelia montana Blume from India, Spectroscopy, 14 (2), 1999, 51-59.

Faculty of Chemistry, Vinh University
(c)
Faculty of Chemistry, College of Natural Science, Hanoi National
University.