Compositional diversity of terpenoids in the Himalayan Valeriana genera

In an effort to determine the chemical diversity of the Valeriana genera of the Northwestern Himalaya (Uttaranchal), V wallichii, V himalayana (syn. V dioica), V pyrolaefolia, and V hardwickii var. arnottiana were investigated for their terpenoid compositions by means of GC and GC/MS analyses of their essential oils, as well as by one- and two-dimensional NMR studies of the isolates. Our results establish that V wallichii DC. includes two stable chemotypes, with no mixed population, chemotype I being characterized by the presence of maaliol (1), and chemotype II having patchouli alcohol (2) and 8-acetoxypatchouli alcohol (3) as major compounds. V hardwickii var. arnottiana was also found to exist as two independent chemotypes. Here, chemotype I is characterized by a-kessyl acetate (4), valeracetate (5), and 8-epikessyl glycol diacetate (6), whereas the chemotype-II species contain maaliol (1) and kessanyl acetate (7). V himalayana GRUB. had maaliol (1), valeranone (8), kessane (9), and a-kessyl acetate (4) as major compounds, and V pyrolaefolia DECNE. contained patchouli alcohol (2) and valeranone (8) as markers.