Comparative Metabolomics of High and Low Essential Oil Yielding Landraces of Betelvine (Piper betle L.) by Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC x GC TOFMS)

Piper betle L. (Betelvine) is a highly important plant for its economical and medicinal value. However, its essential oil characterization has been limited to gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In this study, the advanced two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC TOFMS) was used for the first time to separate and identify chemical constituents from leaf essential oils from two landraces of betelvine. A high essential oil yield (PB1) and a low essential oil yielding (PB13) were the landraces selected for GC x GC TOFMS analysis. Using GC x GC TOFMS, a total of 181 constituents were identified from PB1 and PB13 of which 86 chemical constituents were reported for the first time in the leaf essential oil. The total constituents were classified into sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (54 constituents), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (47 constituents), phenylpropanoids (14 constituents), oxygenated monoterpenes (14 constituents), and monoterpene hydrocarbons (13 constituents). On basis of area percentage, phenylpropanoids (38.81 to 30.90%) were present predominantly along with minor groups such as alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and alkanes. The major constituents were identified by GC x GC TOFMS as eugenol (9.73 to 13.20%), chavibetol acetate (7.40 to 5.12%), 4-ally-1,2-diacetoxybenzene (7.10 to 5.06%), eugenol acetate (3.46 to 2.47%), and chavibetol (3.24 to 2.39%). This study provides a detailed characterization of betelvine oil which can increase the pharmaceutical demands for novel drug discovery. Further, PB1 can be recommended for massive cultivation to increase the livelihood of farmers.