Variability in Fragrance Constituents of Himalayan Tanacetum Species: Commercial Potential

The essential oil composition of the aerial parts of Himalayan Tanacetum species viz. T longifolium, T tibeticum and T nubigenum were examined by GC, GC-MS and NMR. The essential oil of T longifolium was characterized by the presence of sesquiterpenoids viz. beta-eudesmol (24.8 %), cadina-1,4-diene (15.0 %), alpha-bisabolol (7.4 %) and (E)-beta-farnesene (6.8 %). On the contrary, T. tibeticum was dominated by bornyl acetate (60.7 %), beta-caryophyllene (9.1 %), beta-eudesmol (5.3 %), methyl thymol (4.3 %). The results show three chemotypes within T nubigenum; characterized by the presence of bornyl acetate (39.7 %), (3R,6R)-linalool oxide acetate (69.4 %) and (-)-cis-chrysanthenol (31.0 %) as marker constituents, respectively. The raw material and their constituents have commercial utility in incense (dhoop) and fragrant preparations.