J Agric Food Chem, 1988 36(5): 880-882
"Essential oil constituents of Ashanti pepper
(Piper guineense) fruits (berries)"Olusegun Ekundayo, Into Laakso, Rita Marie Adegbola,
Babajide Oguntimein, Abayomi Sofowora, Raimo Hiltunen
Abstract:
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The composition of the volatile oil from the fruits (berries) of
Ashanti pepper (Piper guineense) was investigated in detail by
means of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry techniques. The phenylpropanoid-rich essential oil
was comprised of myristicin, sarisan, safrole, and elemicin as
the dominant components. Fifty-one mono- and sesquiterpenoids
constituted a minor proportion of the oil. Considering the plants
dietary and medicinal use in West Africa and given the relatively
high concentration of benzodioxole derivatives, the potential
toxicity of the volatile oil is briefly evaluated.
EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
Ripe fruits (berries, 200 g) of P. guineense were collected from
mature plants growing in Wanikin village, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Taxonomic authentication of the plant was conducted by A.
Adesakin, Department of Pharmacognosy, Obafemi Awolowo Uni-
versity, Ife. Fresh fruits were homogenized with a small amount
of water, and the slurry was steam-distilled in an all-glass
apparatus designed to the specifications of British Pharmacopoeia
(1980) for 4 h. The light yellow volatile oil possessing a
characteristic spicy aroma was recovered in 0.35% (w/w) yield.
...
Table I. Composition of the Volatile Oil of Ashanti Pepper
(P. guineense)
...
16.55% myristicin
15.70% sarisan
3.91% elemicin
4.81% safrole
...
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
...
Table I gives the details of the components of the oil along with
GC and MS data that were helpful in their identification. The
percentage compositions of the compounds from summation of the
peak areas are also included in this table.
...
Altogether, 56 compounds amounting to about 90% of the essential
oil were identified. The oil was very rich in phenylpropanoid
derivatives, and myristicin was the most abundant constituent.
Other analogous components in the oil were sarisan, safrole,
elemicin, methyleugenol, eugenol, dill apiole, and isoelemicin.
The total quantitative contribution of these compounds to the
oil amounted to 43%.
...
Registry No.
... safrole, 94-59-7; eugenol, 97-53-0; ...
methyleugenol, 93-15-2; ... sarisan, 18607-93-7; ...
myristicin, 607-91-0; ... elemicin, 487-11-6; ...
isoelemicin, 5273-85-8; ... dill apiole, 484-31-1; ...