Comparative Study of Volatile Components of Essential Oil from Conyza canadensis between Hydrodistillation and Steam Distillation
The volatile components of essential oils of fresh aerial parts from horseweed (Conyza canadensis) collected in October with hydrodistillation and steam distillation, respectively, were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that limonene, β-pinene, trans-α-bergamotene, cis-β-ocimene, β-myrcene, germacrene D, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, caryophyllene, (E)-β-farnesene, (Z)-β-farnesene, α-curcumene, caryophyllene oxide were the common volatile components in the essential oils between hydrodistillation and steam distillation. High limonene content (68.87%) was in the essential oil with hydrodistillation. Limonene or other terpenoids has the potential to develop as the biomimetic synthesis template for environmentally-friendly herbicide.