Essential oils and achene germination tests of Stevia incognita and Stevia ovata from Guatemala

Guatemala is a megadiverse country as a consequence of its geographical location where species native to North and South America converge. Among plant species there is a large number whose phytochemistry has not been sufficiently studied. Among these species are several of the genus Stevia, which produce secondary metabolites with potential applications in health, as has been demonstrated for Stevia serrata. The objective of this research was to characterise the composition of the essential oils of Stevia ovata and Stevia incognita, as well as to evaluate their sexual propagation. The study species were found in western and eastern Guatemalan departments, where aerial parts were collected. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation. The extraction yields of the essential oils were less than 0.2% for both species. The oils were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, presenting mainly sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoids in percentages of up to 30%. Nerolidol (19.9%) and spathulenol (18.7%) were the major components in the oil of S. ovata and germacrene D (31.8%) for the S. incognita oil. In the achene germination tests, yields of 0.71% and 0.9% were obtained for S. ovata from Jutiapa and Sololá, and 0.48% for S. incognita from San Marco. Both in peat moss yields of 5% and 11.7% were obtained for S. ovata from Jutiapa and Sololá, respectively. In view of the high sesquiterpenoid composition of the oils, it is advisable to characterise the biological and antioxidant activity of the extracts and essential oils.

Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023