Compositional diversity of terpenoids in the Himalayan Valeriana genera.

In an effort to determine the chemical diversity of the Valeriana genera of the Northwestern Himalaya (Uttaranchal), V. wallichii, V. himalayana (syn. V. dioica), V. pyrolaefolia, and V. hardwickii var. arnottiana were investigated for their terpenoid compositions by means of GC and GC/MS analyses of their essential oils, as well as by one- and two-dimensional NMR studies of the isolates. Our results establish that V. wallichii DC. includes two stable chemotypes, with no mixed population, chemotype I being characterized by the presence of maaliol (1), and chemotype II having patchouli alcohol (2) and 8-acetoxypatchouli alcohol (3) as major compounds. V. hardwickii var. arnottiana was also found to exist as two independent chemotypes. Here, chemotype I is characterized by alpha-kessyl acetate (4), valeracetate (5), and 8-epikessyl glycol diacetate (6), whereas the chemotype-II species contain maaliol (1) and kessanyl acetate (7). V. himalayana Grub. had maaliol (1), valeranone (8), kessane (9), and alpha-kessyl acetate (4) as major compounds, and V. pyrolaefolia Decne. contained patchouli alcohol (2) and valeranone (8) as markers.