Chemical composition of Helichrysum arenarium and Helichrysum nogaicum essential oils, growing in the Astrakhan region

Plants of Helichrysum genus belong to Asteraceae family and abound with species. The’re two species of plants of Helichrysum genus in the Astrakhan region – Helichrysum arenarium Moench and Hеlichrisum nogaicum Zvelev that was discovered later and isn’t studied well enough yet. Helichrysum arenarium is a well-known medical plant widely used in both academic and traditional medicine and included into the State Pharmacopoeia. Inflorescences of Helichrysum arenarium produce cholagogic, hemostatic, detoxicating, laxative, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects, which is due to content of flavonoids, terpenoids and other components. This works shows results of studies of chemical composition of extracted essential oils of Hеlichrisum nogaicum and Helichrysum arenarium growing in the Astrakhan Region. Samples of essential oils of plants under studies have been obtained by steam distillation. Optimal steam distillation process duration has been determined by experiment taking studies of dynamics of essential oil yield change through time as a ground. Quantitative analysis of main components of Helichrysum arenarium and Hеlichrisum nogaicum essential oils has been carried out by gas-liquid chromatography. It has been identified that Helichrysum arenarium essential oil contains 21 substances. Its main components are camphor (14.59%) and carboxylic acids (37.02%), and 1,8-cineole (5.97%). The main components of the oil Helichrisum nogaicum are camphor (38.33%), borneol (14.21%), cineol-1.8 (11.37%) and terpene-4-ol (5.18%), sesquiterpene compounds (6.28%), and the content of carboxylic acids is insignificant and amounts to 6.58%.