Abstract
The present study evaluates the chemical composition and olfactory description of the essential oils of Asarum glabrum Merr., Calocedrus macrolepis Kurz, Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. and Glyptostrobus pensilis (Stainton ex D. Don) K. Koch. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Concerning their chemical composition, 66, 42, 57 and 21 volatile compounds were identified from dried leaves in the case of Asarum glabrum Merr. and wood for the other three, representing 98.7%, 67.2%, 92.0% and 87.5 % of the total composition, respectively. The main compounds of Asarum glabrum oil were safrole (38.1%), apiole (10.8%) and myristicin (8.0%); of Calocedrus macrolepis verbenone (9.3%), piperitone (8.6 %), α-terpineol (6.0%) and (Z)-β-terpineol (5.3%); of Cunninghamia lanceolata oil cedrol (26.3%), α-terpineol (24.1%) and camphor (7.0%); and of Glyptostrobus pensilis oil dihydro-eudesmol isomer (assumed) (18.3%), cedrol (16.4%), occidentalol (13.2%) and elemol (9.0%).