Comparison of Essential Oils from Three Kinds of Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk (Kirimitsuba, Nemitsuba, and Itomitsuba) used in Japanese Food

: The compositions of the essential oils from three kinds of Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk ("Mitsuba" in Japanese, Kirimitsuba (KM), Nemitsuba (NM), and Itomitsuba (IM)) were investigated by capillary GC/GC-MS. The oils contained 53 volatile components, of which 95% were terpenoids. The major constituents were sesquiterpenoids, which were α-selinene (KM: 39.1%; NM: 38.4%; IM: 13.2%), β-selinene (15.5%, 15.2%, 4.8%), germacrene D (12.1%, 7.2%, 24.1%), trans-farnesene (11.1%, 6.0%, 10.9%), β-elemene (2.9%, 2.9%, 6.8%), and trans-caryophyllene (1.7%, 1.7%, 2.6%). The main sesquiterpene found in KM and NM was α-selinene and in IM was germacrene D. The major monoterpenes found were β-myrcene (3.8%, 6.7%, and 3.5%) and β-pinene (2.8%, 0.2%, and 1.4%).