Volatile components of the aerial parts of Artemisia pontica L. grown in Bulgaria

The volatile components of the aerial parts of Artemisia pontica L., obtained through hydrodistillation, were investigated by GC and GC-MS. The oxygen-containing monoterpene fraction dominated (36.7%), while 1.8-cineole (14.1%) and camphor (13.9%) were the main components. Other relatively abundant components in this fraction were terpinen-4-ol (3.0%), sabina ketone (1.5%), dehydro sabina ketone (1.3%), and Z-sabineini-hydrate. In the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon fraction (1.0%) 7H-alpha-silphiperfol-5-ene (0.7%), together with silphin-1-ene (trace) and two other silphiperfolene isomers could be identified. 7H-alpha-Silphiperfol-5-ene was identified for the first time in A. pontica. In the oxygen-containing sesquiterpene hydrocarbon fraction (22.6%) a number of silphiperfolene isomers were also found, e.g. silphiperfol-5-en-3-ol C (9.7%), silphiperfol-5-en-3-one B (0.7%), silphiperfol-5-en-3-yl acetate A (1.0%). Most probably, silphiperfol-5-en-3-ol D (2.5%) and silphiperfol-5-en-3-one A were also present. Copyright (c) 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd