Volatile constituents of endangered species Nardostachys grandiflora DC. rhizomes from Uttarakhand Himalaya (India)

Abstract

The rhizomes of Nardostachys grandiflora DC. syn. N. jatamansi DC. were collected from two alpine Himalayan locations of Uttarakhand (India). The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine the concentration variation in their constituents. A total of 22 compounds were identified in both the oil samples, accounting 97.6-98.4 %. The major constituents of N. grandiflora oils were characterised as patchoulol (39.1-46.8 %) and calarene (15.1-21.6 %). Due to the higher relative area quantum of patchoulol in N. grandiflora populations growing in Uttarakhand, there is need to develop a propagation protocol for mass multiplication and in-situ and ex-situ conservation of N. grandiflora.