The Volatile Phytochemistry of Seven Native American Aromatic Medicinal Plants

As part of our evaluation of essential oils derived from Native American medicinal plants, we have obtained the essential oils of Agastache foeniculum (Pursch) Kuntze (Lamiaceae), Gaultheria procumbens L. (Ericaceae), Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet (Asteraceae), Liatris spicata (L.) Willd. (Asteraceae), Pycnanthemum incanum (L.) Michx. (Lamiaceae), Smallanthus uvedalia (L.) Mack. ex Mack. (Asteraceae), and Verbena hastata L. (Verbenaceae) by hydrodistillation. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. The essential oil of A. foeniculum was dominated by estragole (88–93%), while methyl salicylate (91%) dominated the G. procumbens essential oil. Germacrene D was the major component in H. helianthoides (42%) and L. spicata (24%). 1,8-Cineole (31%) and α-terpineol (17%) were the main compounds in P. incanum essential oil. The essential oil of S. uvedalia showed α-pinene (24%), perillene (15%), and β-caryophyllene (17%) as major components. Verbena hastata essential oil was rich in 1-octen-3-ol (up to 29%) and palmitic acid (up to 22%). Four of these essential oils, H. helianthoides, L. spicata, P. incanum, and V. hastata, are reported for the first time. Additionally, the enantiomeric distributions of several terpenoid components have been determined.