Composition, chemical variability and effect of distillation time on leaf and fruits essential oils of Myrtus communis from north western Algeria

AbstractThe chemical variability of the essential oils isolated from Myrtus communis L. leaves and fruits collected from the North western Algeria was evaluated along with a hydrodistillation time-course study of the essential oil main components. M. communis essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils yields ranged between 0.28% and 0.77% (w/d.w.). Although in variable ranges the leaf (L) and the fruits (F) essential oils were characterized by the dominance of the same compounds: α-pinene (23–49% and 21–43% for L and F, respectively), 1,8-cineole (10–24% and 5-31% for L and F, respectively); limonene (11–30% and 9–35% for L and F, respectively); and linalool (2–32% and 1–7% for L and F, respectively). For the first time, Algerian linalool-rich myrtle essential oils (>30%) are described. Higher relative amounts of α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, limonene and linalool can be obtained with shorter disti...