Introduction: Essential oils derived from plants by hydro distillation possess several medicinal properties. Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. fruit is nutritive, cardiotonic, refrigerant, in stomach troubles, puerperal sepsis and insanity; while leaves are useful in epilepsy, chorea, convulsive cough and stomach pain due to indigestion. Methods: Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GCMS) has been used for detection and identification of volatile components from the hydro-distillate from leaf and rind of Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. of Rutaceae. Results: Yield of oil was more in rind (0.12%) compared to leaf (0.07%). Forty two and thirty four compounds were detected from leaf and fruit respectively, among which citronellol (28.26%) was the major component in the leaves while D-limonene (89.04%) in the rind. Conclusion: Volatile compounds responsible for antimicrobial properties are identified from hydro-distillate of Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. from Dakshina Kannada using GCMS.
Key words: Citronellol, essential oil, GCMS, herbal medicine, hydro-distillation, limonene.
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