The chemical compositions of Abies foliar essential oils from the western United States

The foliage of Abies species in western North America has been used by Native Americans in their traditional medicine for pulmonary problems, coughs, colds, and tuberculosis.As part of our interest in Native American traditional medicine as well as essential oils of aromatic medicinal plants, including gymnosperms, the foliar essential oils of A. amabilis, A. concolor, A. grandis, A. lasiocarpa, and A. magnifica were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatographic methods.The essential oils of two samples of A. amabilis from Mt. Hood, Oregon, were rich in -pinene (8.2%, 11.1%), -pinene (12.1%, 20.9%), -3-carene (22.1%, 22.4%), limonene (4.2%, 14.3%), and -phellandrene (10.6%, 16.1%).-Pinene (40.5-50.7%)dominated the essential oils of A. concolor (four samples) from northern California, followed by -pinene (6.4-12.2%),-phellandrene (7.0-21.3%),and -terpineol (7.1-9.9%).The major components in the essential oils of A. grandis from northern Idaho (three samples) were -pinene (5.4-8.4%),camphene (10.3-12.1%),pinene (10.2-20.7%),-phellandrene (14.8-24.4%)and bornyl acetate (18.0-23.0%).Abies lasiocarpa was obtained from two locations, Mt.Hood, Oregon (two samples), and Mt.St. Helens, Washington (three samples).The essential oils showed notable differences in limonene (Mt.Hood, 1.8-2.1%;Mt.St. Helens, 32.5-60.0%)and -phellandrene (Mt.Hood, Mt.St. Helens,.6%)concentrations.-Phellandrene (41.2-44.6%)and pinene (16.9-20.8%)dominated the essential oils of A. magnifica (three samples from Mt. Lassen, California).Enantioselective GC-MS revealed that the (-)-enantiomers predominated for -pinene, camphene, limonene, -phellandrene, terpinen-4-ol, and terpineol.The relatively high concentrations of -pinene, camphene, -pinene, limonene, -terpineol, and bornyl acetate in the Abies essential oils are consistent with the Native American traditional use of these species to treat pulmonary troubles (e.g., coughs, colds, and tuberculosis).