Chemical analysis of essential oil and hydrolates of leaves, inflorescences and stems of Piper chimonanthifolium Kunth.

Resumo

Plants of the genus Piper are widely used commercially. Piper chimonanthifolium Kunth. is a species with a dearth of studies on chemistry and biological activities. Essential oils of other species of this genus show good biological activities, especially against microorganisms. This work presents a comparative analysis of chemical composition of essential oils and hydrolates of leaves, inflorescences and stems of this specie. Samples were obtained by co-distillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The samples were composed of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, with predominance of monoterpenes. Piperitone, a monoterpene with important biological activities, was the most important substance. In addition to this compound, L-linalool, cis-?-ocimene, trans-?-ocimene, 1-phellandrene, ?-pinene, limonene, and spathulenol stood out. Some of these substances can exhibit a variation in the composition according to environmental factors or may be biological control agents, demonstrating importance in ecology. The chemical characterization showed chemical differences between leaves, stems and inflorescences and demonstrated pharmacological potential for this species.