Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Brassica juncea (L.) Coss. Grown in Different Regions, Hebei, Shaanxi and Shandong, of China

JIMMY C. YU 1*, ZI-TAO JIANG 1,2, RONG LI 2 AND SZE MAN CHAN 1

1. Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science Programme, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
2. Department of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300400, P. R. China

(Received: April 24, 2002; Accepted: August 22, 2002) 

ABSTRACT

   The composition of essential oils in the seeds of Brassica juncea (L.) Coss., grown in Hebei, Shaanxi and Shandong Province was determined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We have identified twenty-two compounds constituting 89.6% by weight of the mustard oil from Hebei Province. The main components were allyl isothiocyanate (54.8%), diallyl trisulfide (9.4%), diallyl sulfide (5.5%) and 3-butenyl isothiocyanate (4.8%). Fourteen compounds representing 94.5 % by weight of the mustard oil from Shaanxi Province were identified. They were allyl isothiocyanate (68.8%), diallyl trisulfide (7.8%) and 3-butenyl isothiocyanate (4.9%). Fifteen components were identified accounting for 94.3% by weight of the mustard oil from Shandong Province. Major constituents were allyl isothiocyanate (61.3%), diallyl trisulfide (9.7%) and 3-butenyl isothiocyanate (5.9%).

Keywords: Brassica juncea (L.) Coss., allyl isothiocyanate, mustard oil, essential oil, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)