Essential oil compositions of Juniperus virginiana and Pinus virginiana, two important trees in Cherokee traditional medicine

Abstract

The essential oils from the leaves and barks of Juniperus virginiana and Pinus virginiana, two coniferous trees important in Native American traditional medicine, were obtained by hydrodistillation. The essential oil from the “berries” of J. virginiana was also obtained. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. J. virginiana bark oils were dominated by α-pinene, while the leaf oils were rich in safrole, methyl eugenol, and elemol. J. virginiana berry essential oil was dominated by limonene and elemol. Both the bark and the leaf essential oils from P. virginiana had high concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, and β-phellandrene. The essential oils were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity, but showed only marginal activity. The high concentrations of limonene in the berries, α-pinene in the bark, and safrole and methyl eugenol in the leaves of J. virginiana, and the large quantities of α- and β-pinenes and β-phellandrene in P. virginiana likely account for the traditional uses of these plants.