Abstract

This research aimed at extracting and characterizing the phytochemistry of the essencial oils from Spondias mombin L. (Cajá), Spondias purpurea L. (Ciriguela) e Spondias sp (Cajarana do sertão). We selected five vigorous and healthy trees located in the city of Patos, PB. The leaves were collected and taken to Natural Products Research Lab (NPRL) in the Regional University of Cariri - URCA - in the city of Crato, CE. The extraction method was the steam-dragging distillation through a Clevenger extractor. The chemical analysis of the oils were done by means of a Shimadzu spectrometer. The greatest components found in the Cajá essential oil were: octadecane (43.51%), heptacosane (21.98%) e hexatriacontane (15.37%); the predominant substances in the Cajarana do sertão oil were: Octadecane (31.5%), Indene (22.53%) and tetraacantane (10.51%), and in the Ciriguela, there were: heptacosane (28,80%), nonadecane (19,47%) e tetracosane (17.02%). Among the terpenes, we emphasize the β-caryophyllene (Cajá e Cajarana do sertão) e o α-humuleno (Ciriguela), that present important antimicrobial action. In the Cajarana do sertão, we identified the phytol, known for enhancing the tenacity and balancing the flow of skin natural oil, causing great anti-aging benefits.

Key words: Spondias, essential oils, gas chromatography.