Chemical Composition Diversity of Cinnamomum camphora L. Essential Oil Collected in Two Different Regions of Algeria and Influence of Some Pedoclimatic Parameters

Abstract

This study was conducted to valorise a medicinal plant from the Algerian flora. The main aim is to investigate for the first time the influence of some pedo-climatic parameters on the chemical composition diversity of Cinnamomum camphora L.’s essential oil harvested in two different regions, Algeria. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation method, physicochemical analysis was conducted on the essential oils in order to determine their physicochemical quality, as well as their composition, was analysed by GC-MS. The powder of the leaves and the rhizospheric soil of the two plants was analysed by infrared spectrometry and by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry in order to determine the difference of chemical and mineralogical composition of the powders and the soils from both regions. The GC-MS analysis of the two essentials oils showed a huge difference of their chemical composition and that the essential oil of the plant harvested from Chrea national park (116 compounds are richer than the one harvested in El hamma garden (76 compounds), however, the two essential oils presented some similar chemical compounds mainly: α-Pinene, sabinene, β-Pinene, 1,8- Cineole, camphor, Eugenol and (E)-Nerolidol. The results obtained in this study highlighted the fact that Cinnamomum camphora is a rich source of chemical compounds that can be used in food and pharmaceutical industry however, this chemical diversity is related and influenced by pedoclimatic parameters.