Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: The chemical composition of the hydrodistilled essential oils of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves, grown for the first time in an experimental field in Bangladesh, was analysed by GC–MS. Sixty two compounds representing 92.27 % of the total leaf oils were identified, of which α-cadinol (2.98 %), caryophyllene oxide (1.23 %), (-)-spathulenol (2.21 %) and β-Guaiene (0.32 %), were the major components. Thus, the monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were the predominant constituents of the oils. The leaves contained some new essential oil compounds, such as ledene oxide-(ΙΙ), beta.-guaiene, geranyl vinyl ether, tricyclo [5.2.2.0 (1, 6)] undecan-3-ol, indole, aristolene epoxide, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8a-octahydro-1, 4-dione and 2, 6, 6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1, 4-dione identified for the first time.

Key words: Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, hydrodistillation, essential oil composition, GC-MS analysis