Essential Oils from Leaves of Micropropagated Ruta graveolens

Abstract

The essential oils of Ruta graveolens were analysed by GC and GC-MS. Comparisons were made between field-grown plants and micropropagated plants of the same clone. Oil content of in vitro-grown plants was marginally more (0.84 %) in comparison to that of conventional grown source plant (0.80 %). The most common components usually found in Ruta oils were present in the oil samples analysed and 17 constituents were identified in leaves of in vitro grown plants (representing 97.2 %) whereas 18 compounds (representing 90.27 %) were identified in leaves of field raised plants. The essential oils from field-grown plants of Ruta graveolens, when compared with those from micropropagated plants of the same clone, showed that the same major components were present without significant compositional variations. The most abundant constituents of the oils were 2-undecanone and 2-nonanone. Further, efforts were made to increase the oil yield by enhancing the leaf biomass by manipulation of physiological conditions. Increase in the leaf biomass by inducing shoot production in Murashige and Skoog media fortified with BA 2 mg/l + IAA 0.5mg/l + adenine sulphate 50 mg/l resulted in significant increase in the oil yield.