Chemical Composition of Some Tunisian Eucalyptus Essential Oils As Obtained By Hydrodistillation Using Clevenger Type Apparatus

B. Hassine Dorsaf^1,2, Ben Ismail Hanen², Jribi Chokri¹, Khouja Mohamed Larbi³ and Abderrabba Manef¹

¹Unite de Recherche Physicochimie mol?culaire, IPEST, La Marsa Tunisie.

²Laboratoire de Technologie Alimentaire, Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, 4 3 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082, Tunis Tunisie.

³Laboratoire Ecologie et Am?lioration Sylvo- Pastorale, INRGREF, B.P 10, Ariana 2080 Tunisie.

ABSTRACT: In this study we have determined the yield of the essential oil of 15 Eucalyptus species collected from Sidi Ismail Arboretum, in the Sahel of Tunisia. The average yield of leaf essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation varies according to species. It ranged between 3.367 % for E. dumosa and 1.167% for E. bicolor. The volatile oil compositions of E. dumosa, E. cladocalyx, E. oleosa and E. transcontinentalis were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively by GC/MS. Forty six different components were separated, and most of them identified. The main constituent was found to be 1-8 cineol (Eucalyptol). The extract possessed high yield of oxygenated monoterpens, followed by monoterpens hydrocarbons, then a wick level of sesquiterpens hydrocarbons.

KEYWORDS: Myrtaceae; Eucalyptus essential oil; GC/MS; 1-8cineol; oxygenated monoterpens

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