Enantiomeric Ratio Changes of Terpenes in Essential Oils from Hybrid Eucalyptus grandis × E. tereticornis and its Pure Species

Abstract

Some Eucalyptus species produce oils with biological activities and the effect of their interspecifc hybridization on the enantiomeric composition of terpenes has not been reported. The enantiomeric excesses of monoterpenes in the essential oil of Eucalyptus grandis × E. tereticornis and its parental taxa were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and to resolve coelutions problems by preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)and GC-MS with two columns in series. The essential oil composition of the hybrid presented qualitative and quantitative differences with the composition of its parental taxa. Great differences were found for the enantiomeric ratio in monoterpene alcohols among the three essential oils. Our results suggest that the enantiomeric analysis can be a reliable method for the study of how theinterspecifc hybridization can module the enantiomeric chemical profle in Eucalyptus essential oils. These results suggest the use of interspecifc hybridization to improve or expand the source of bioactive compounds.