Chemical Compositions of the Bark Essential Oils of Croton Monteverdensis and Croton Niveus from Monteverde, Costa Rica

Abstract

The essential oils of the barks of Croton monteverdensis Huft and C. niveus Jacq. (Euphorbiaceae) from Monteverde, Costa Rica, were isolated by hydrodistillation in yields of 0.03% and 0.10%, respectively. The chemical composition of the oils was determined by GC–MS. The most abundant essential oil components of C. monteverdensis were α-pinene (17.1%), β-pinene (10.5%), and linalool (8.3%), while C. niveus bark oil was made up largely of α-pinene (14.4%), 1,8-cineole (11.6%), and borneol (8.5%). The major components account for the fragrances and are consistent with the traditional medicinal uses of these plants.