ESSENTIAL OIL IN ROOTS OF VETIVERIA ZIZANIOIDES (L.) NASH EX

Essential oil from roots of Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash ex Small from Bangladesh was examined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fourteen compounds were identified in root oil. The compositions of oil varied qualitatively and quantitatively. Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash belonging to the family Poaceae and commonly known as 'Khas-Khas ' in Bangladesh and India. It is a perennial grass with thick fibrous adventitious roots (Ghani 2003). This species is native of Indian subcontinent and has been introduced in many tropical countries. Roots are stimulant, tonic, cooling, stomachic, diuretic, antispasmodic and emmenagogue, and used in fevers, inflammations and irritability of stomach. Essence of the root is used to check vomiting in cholera. Smoke of grass is inhaled to relieve headache (Ghani 2003). Apart from its use as insect repellent and soil erosion management tool, vetiver grass has numerous traditional uses such as root paste for headaches and leaf paste for rheumatism and sprains. Commercial uses of vetiver grass mainly pertain to the extraction of vetiver oil through distillation of the roots. Vetiver oil has extensive applications in the soap and cosmetic industries, food flavoring and is also used as anti-microbial and anti-fungal agent in the pharmaceutical industry (Kindra and Satayanaraya 1978). This oil is principally used in high class perfumery where its persistent odour makes it of great value as a fixative in admixture with other perfumes. Vetiver grass is also cultivated for the production of a commercially important essential oil used in perfumery and aromatherapy (Chowdhury et al. 2002, Weyerstahl et al. 1996, Bowles et al. 2002). Various tribal people in the subcontinent use different parts of the grass for many of their ailments such as mout