Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Leaves and Roots of Ottoa oenanthoides (Apiaceae) from Mérida,Venezuela

Abstract

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from leaves and roots of Ottoa oenanthoides Kunth (Apiaceae) were analyzed by GC/MS. The oils, obtained in yields of 0.10% and 0.66%, respectively, each contained four compounds, which were identified from their mass spectra and retention indices (RI). The major compound identified was 2-methoxy-8-methyl-1,4-naphthalindione (59.9% leaves, and 62.8%, roots), followed by 7-methoxy-1-naphthol (18.3% leaves and 17.3% roots), 2-naphthalenol (18.6% leaves and 15.0% roots), and 3-methoxy-2-naphthalenol (3.1% leaves and 2.1% roots). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that naphthalene derivatives have been reported for any species of the Apiaceae family.