Prospection of chemicals in essential oils of eucalyptus flowers and leaves

Author(s)

Flávia Sarti Bonora

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2015-12-18

Examining board members

Jose Otavio Brito; Antonio Natal Gonçalves; Luiz Fernando de Moura

• Advisor: Jose Otavio Brito

Abstract

The planted eucalyptus forests have been very important to supply material for a variety of purposes, mostly from wood. The genus is also known to have an important range of potential species to source essential oils from the leaves. In Brazil, however, essential oil production has been restricted to a few species. Hence, it is important to conduct studies that may extend the number of new materials to obtain essential oil. In order to meet such demand, this study was proposed, which sought to assess new materials, including not only the leaves but also the flowers of trees of different species and clones of eucalyptus, for the production of essential oils. Essential oil extractions were performed by steam distillation, to determine their yield, and chromatographic analysis to identify their chemical components. The results indicated: a) the highest yields in essential oils of leaves were observed for E. staigeriana (1,599%) and C. citriodora (1,262%), and the lowest for C. ptychocarpa (0,021%); b) E. exserta (0,613%) and E. resinifera (0,587%) had potential for use of their essential oils, due to their high yields and the important presence of 1,8 cineole; c) the highest yields in essential oils of flowers were observed for GFMO 03 (0,518%) and the lowest for E. exserta (0,109%); d) the clone GFMO 03 showed flowers with highest yield in essential oil than the leaves, which may be related to genetic improvement done in order to favor their flowering characteristics; e) the substances in essential oils of leaves may assist the identification and differentiation of species; f) the essential oils of flowers had 6 substances that were not found in the leaves; g) many of the substances in essential oils of flowers are present in propolis, suggesting that they have connection with pollinators activities linked to beekeeping; h) the high concentration of substances of interest in essential oils of eucalyptus demonstrate its importance as suppliers of raw materials for industry; i) the species were grouped by the chemical composition in essential oils of their leaves, which resulted in 4 groups and 6 subgroups, which may be related to the area of natural occurrence of the studied species; j) GFMO 03 and GFMO 10 are, respectively, in the same group of E. grandis and E. tereticornis, species which compound the genetic material of the clones, indicating that the essential oil features are probably preserved even after hybridization. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/21397-6 - PROSPECT OF ESSENTIAL OILS IN FLOWERS AND LEAVES OF EUCALYPTUS SPECIES LISTED FOR BEEKEEPING
• Grantee: Flávia Sarti Bonora
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master