Phytochemical characteristics of root volatiles and extracts of Achillea collina Becker genotypes

Recently, several publications revealed the presence of potentially active volatile substances in the roots of yarrow species. Though their specific function is not clear, they are supposed to have an important role in plant-environment interactions. In the present paper, chemical composition of hydrodistilled essential oil (EO), headspace (HS) volatiles and dichloromethane extracts (DE) of the roots of 10 different Achillea collina Becker accessions were analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS and compared. Volatility and solubility of active ingredients and the sensitivity of extraction methods resulted in different chemical compositions. Only a few of the main constituents (alismol, (E)-beta-farnesene, beta-sesquiphellandrene and neryl esters) were found in each extract type. In the EOs, the main compound was component with RI 1874 tentatively identified as heptadecen-7-one (28.9-43.0%). Albene (20.8-52.1%) and beta-pinene (8.3-47.1%) were the most represented constituents among HS volatiles. The main and universal constituents of DEs were component with RI 1874 tentatively identified as heptadecen-7-one, linoleic acid, 2,4,6-decatrienoic acid piperideide, sterols (RI 3280, 3338 and 3360) and a triterpene (RI 3456) which together amounted 34.4-61.7% of the extracts.