Composition and in vitro toxicity of the essential oil of Tagetes terniflora HBK. (Asteraceae)

The essential oil from aerial parts of Tagetes terniflora HBK. (Asteraceae) was obtained by hydro-distillation. The oil content was 0.15% (v/w), on a fresh weight basis. The oil composition was analysed by GC and GC/ MS. Sixty-five compounds were identified accounting for 96.1% of the oil. Tagetones (22.4%), ocimenes (20.6%) and ocimenones (15.9%) predominated in the oil, with (E)-beta-ocimene (12.8%) and trans-tagetone (10.7%) as the main compounds. The oil contained considerable amounts of limonene (3.9%), isomenthone (3.1%), and of spathulenol (2.7%) in sesquiterpenoidic fraction. cis-(4.1%) and trans-Anethole (2.1%) are the main constituent of the phenylpropanoid group. A preliminary in vitro toxicity test, carried out with Artemia salina, showed an ED50 value of the essential oil of 3.16 mug/ml. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.