Assessment of similarities and dissimilarities in the essential oils of patchouli and Indian Valerian

Two chemically alike essential oils derived from two disjunct genera namely patchouli (Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth.) and Indian Valerian (Valeriana jatamansi Jones) were investigated for identification of marker compounds by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Inspite of huge chemical resemblance these two essential oils can be authenticated by their characteristics minor or trace constituents. The marker constituents identified for P. cablin oil were pogostone, pogostol, and (Z)-thujopsene, whereas marker constituents for V. jatamansi oil were 3-methyl valeric acid, thymol methyl ether, carvacrol methyl ether, bornyl acetate, kessane, maaliol, xanthorrhizol, and 8-acetoxy patchouli alcohol. These marker constituents may be utilized as an important tool in oil authentications.