Volatile constituents of Xylopia frutescens, X. pynaertii and X. sericea: Chemical and biological study

The essential oils from three Xylopia species (X. frutescens, X. pynaertii, X. sericea), Annonaceae, have been examined by GC and GC/MS, and screened for bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities. The main components of each oil have been identified. The major constituents of X. frutescens stem bark oil were α‐cubebene (25.2%) and δ‐cadinol (27.4%). The root of X. pynaertii was rich in elemol (27.1%), while the stem bark oil contained δ‐cadinene (10.3%), γ‐muurolene (10.1%) and cubenol (12.6%). The major components of X. sericea root bark oil were p‐cymene (22.8%) and α‐gurjunene (13.8%). These oils exhibited moderate bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities.