Essential Oil Constituents of Angelica glauca Edgew. Roots: An Endangered Species from Uttarakhand Himalaya (India)

The roots of Angelica glauca Edgew., a high value critically endangered plant, were collected from two alpine Himalayan locations of Uttarakhand (India). The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation, analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to determine the variation of concentration in their constituents. A total of 26 compounds were identified in both the oils, representing 97.7-98.2 % of total oil compositions. The major components of A. glauca oils were characterised as (Z)-ligustilide (40.6-53.0 %), (Z)-butylidene phthalide (20.7-32.8 %), (E)-butylidene phthalide (2.5-5.9 %) and (E)-ligustilide (2.1-2.3 %). Due to the higher relative area quantum of monomeric lactones (phthalides and ligustilides) in A. glauca populations (69.3-90.6 %) growing in Uttarakhand, there is a need to develop propagation protocol for mass multiplication and in situ and ex situ conservation.