Composition of linalool rich essential oil from Lippia alba grown in Indian plains

A field crop of Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Br. LAC-2 genotype was raised through stem cuttings at Lucknow. The essential oil yields obtained upon hydrodistillation of leaves harvested between May 1998 and May 1999 varied from 0.6% to 0.8% on fresh weight basis. The GC and GC/MS analyses of the essential oils led to the identification of 15 compounds totalling 85% of the oil: the identified compounds included 4 monoterpene hydrocarbons (2%), 8 oxygenated monoterpenes (82%) and 3 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (1%). The major constituent of the oil was linalool (65%). Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.