Protium icicariba as a source of volatile essences

The essential oils from the oleoresin, leaf and fruit of Protium icicariba (Burseraceae), collected in the Atlantic forest were extracted by steam distillation and analysed by HRGC-MS. The resin oil was found to be entirely monoterpenoid and characterised by the predominance of p-cymene, followed by α-pinene, α-terpinolene and limonene. Monoterpenes, particularly of the terpinolene-type, predominate in the fruit oil, and germacrene-type sesquiterpenes, followed by α-copaene, α-elemene and α-cadinene make the greater part of the leaf oil. The leaf epicuticular wax of this species was also chemically characterised by HRGC-MS, indicating the major presence of n-nonacosane (C-29) and n-hentriacontane (C-31) together with some triterpenes. Histological sections of leaf, fruit and stem were carried out, in order to establish the microstructure present in these organs.