The Chemical Composition of Essential Oil and Headspace Volatiles of Balkan Endemic Taxon Achillea ×vandasii Velen

Abstract

Background Genus Achillea L., one of the largest and the most taxonomically complicated genera of the Asteraceae family, has a complex phyletic structure due to excessive hybridization and polyploidy, which especially occurs among species from the Achillea section. Although the genus has been investigated in detail, a hybrid Achillea ×vandasii Velen has not been studied for volatile profiles. Thus, this study aimed to analyze and compare headspace volatiles (HSVs) from rosette leaf, stem leaf, stem, and inflorescence as well as essential oil (EO) of plant aerial parts. Methods The chemical composition of the headspace volatiles and essential oil of a hybrid Achillea ×vandasii Velen. were analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results The distribution among HSVs depends on the plant organ investigated. Generally, monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes were dominant in all headspace samples, primarily 1,8-cineole followed by α-pinene and β-pinene. Sesquiterpenoids were absent or presented in a low percentage. Unlike HSVs, the EO was abundant in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivates. Among all, caryophyllene oxide, α-cadinol, and germacrene D were dominant in the studied essential oil. Conclusions The results showed that the qualitative and quantitative composition of studied headspace volatiles and essential oil differ significantly in terms of terpene content. Considering the hybrid origin of the studied taxon and obtained volatile profiles, the tested hybrid shows no or very weak agreement with the parental species.