Essential Oil of Piper Marginatum

The decoction of leaves of Piper marginatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) called “caapeba cheirosa” is used by natives of the Amazon against liver and vesicle diseases and as a tonic with carminative and antispasmodic action (1). Leaf extracts of P. marginatum have been shown to have a significant cercaricidal activity (2). In the volatile oil and EtOH extracts of leaves of P. marginatum, the presence of safrole, piperonal, 3,4-methylenedioxy-, 2-hydroxy-4,5-methylenedioxy-, and 2-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxypropiophenones has been noted (3,4). From the BuOH extracts were isolated the flavonoids vitexin and marginoside (5). Analyses of the steam-distilled essential oils from the leaves and the stems of P. marginatum by capillary column gc/ms confirmed the presence of safrole, 3,4-methylenedioxypropiophenone, 2-hydroxy-4,5-methylenedioxypropiophenone, and other arylpropanoids, in addition to many monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. Piperonal and 2-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxypropiophenone were not detected as reported previously (4). The composition profile of the arylpropanoids found in the oil may be of some biological importance. Many of the identified compounds, including the major constituent myristicin, besides elemicin and dillapiol, show biological activity (6,7). Relative concentrations of 39 individual peaks and their retention data are shown in Table 1. Peaks whose identity was confirmed by comparison of both mass spectrum and gs retention data with those of authentic compounds are so indicated. Other identifications were made by comparison of mass spectra with those in the data system library and in the literature. The whole gas chromatogram presented 76 peaks. © 1986, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved