Chemical disparity in the oil from leaves of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume

The hydrodistilled essential oil obtained from leaves of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume (Lauraceae) collected throughout the year was examined using gas chromatography fitted with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography connected with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The variation in essential oil yield was found to be in the range of 1.1-1.4% (w/w). Between 28 and 40 components, representing 97.92 +/- 0.15% of the total oil, were identified. The chief compound was identified as eugenol, varying from 60.24 +/- 0.42 to 89.82 +/- 0.55%. The other constituents were eugenyl acetate (ranging from 0.10 +/- 0.01 to 19.87 +/- 0.52%), alpha-phellandrene (ranging from 0.76 +/- 0.04 to 6.23 +/- 0.13%), benzyl benzoate (ranging from 0.91 +/- 0.05 to 5.03 +/- 0.20%), linalool (ranging from 1.11 +/- 0.04 to 3.25 +/- 0.08%), and beta-caryophyllene (ranging from 0.50 +/- 0.01 to 2.92 +/- 0.10%). The essential oils collected throughout the year were found to be rich in phenyl derivative constituents (88.49 +/- 0.97%). The biosynthesis and conversion of eugenyl acetate to eugenol appeared as the leaves of C. zeylanicum reached maturity. It was noticed that when leaves were immature, in July and August during the full rainy season, the content of eugenyl acetate was found to be highest, as compared with mature leaves in the other months, with the exception of February (flowering season).