Composition of Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum essential oil showed chemical variability according to vegetation cycle, environment, and geographic origins. In the present work, 48 individuals of this plant at different development stages and the corresponding root soils were sampled: i) 28 volatile components were identified and measured in essential oil by using GC and GC/MS; ii) ten elements from plants and soils have been estimated using colorimetry in continuous flux, flame atomic absorption spectrometry, or emission spectrometry (FAAS/FAES); iii) texture and acidity (real and potential) of soil samples were also reported. Relationships between the essential-oil composition, the inorganic plant composition, and the soil characteristics (inorganic composition, texture, and acidity) have been established using multivariate analysis such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and partial Redundancy Analysis (RDA). This study demonstrates a high level of intraspecific differences in oil composition due to environmental factors and, more particularly, soil characteristics.

Eudesm-5-en-11-ol was isolated from the oil of Helichrysum italicum and its structure was elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

The essential oils obtained by water distillation from the aerial parts of two Helichrysum italicum ssp. growing in Corsica (France), Tuscany and Sardinia (Italy) were analysed by GC-RI and GC-MS. The essential oils prepared from Corsican and Tuscan Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum exhibited two different compositions. Corsican oils were characterized by the pre-eminence of oxygenated compounds: neryl acetate (major compound), neryl propionate, nerol, acyclic ketones and beta-diketones. Conversely, Tuscan oils were found to exhibit higher contents of hydrocarbons (alpha-pinene, beta-caryophyllene, alpha- and beta-selinenes). The comparison of essential oils hydrodistilled from Corsican and Sardinian Helichrysum italicum subsp. microphyllum showed almost similar chemical compositions. The main constituents were: neryl acetate, nerol, neryl propionate, linalool, eudesm-5-en-11-ol and gamma-curcumene. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

The components of essential oils of Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum growing in Corsica were investigated by the combination of GC and GC-MS. In a first part, nine commercial and laboratories-prepared samples were analysed and Corsican oils were found to contain neryl acetate as predominant compound, with amounts from 15.8% (from plants in stage of early shoots) to 42.5% (in full flowering period). In a second part, we sampled Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum from three locations over the growth cycle of the plant. Significant variations were observed in the concentration of the main constituents, pointing out a chemical composition of oils produced from plants in early shoots (higher amounts of ketones and beta -diketones) different from that obtained from samples harvested in the stages of flowering (higher contents of neryl acetate). Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The constituents of the essential oil of Stachys glutinosa L. were investigated for the first time. In a first part, we studied a collective oil following a methodology which combined chromatographic techniques (CC, GC) with spectroscopic techniques (MS, 13C-NMR). Sixty-four constituents (91% of the total composition) were identified. The major compounds were terpinen-4-ol (13.1%), α-pinene (10.1%), α-terpineol (8.4%), β-phellandrene (6.8%) and γ-terpinene (6.1%). In a second part, we investigated 53 oil samples obtained from individual plants collected widely in Corsica, by GC–RI and GC–MS. The essential oils of S. glutinosa displayed a wide infraspecific chemical variability. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Il existe en Corse de nombreuses especes vegetales endemiques, susceptibles de fournir des huiles essentielles originales et variees a l'industrie agroalimentaire et a l'industrie des parfums et des cosmetiques. La procedure de valorisation envisagee ici passe par une etape preliminaire d'analyse de la composition chimique de l'huile essentielle par CPG/SM.

Il existe en Corse de nombreuses especes vegetales endemiques susceptibles de fournir des huiles essentielles originales et variees a l'industrie des parfums et des cosmetiques. La procedure de valorisation envisagee ici passe par une etape preliminaire d'analyse de la composition chimique de l'huile essentielle par CPG/SM.