Volatile constituents of micropropagated plants of Bupleurum fruticosum L

The essential oil and solid phase micro extraction (SPME) samples of Bupleurum fruticosum micropropagated plants were analysed by GC and GC–MS and compared with those obtained from the leaves and the stems of field-grown parent plants. The main constituents of the essential oil of the micropropagated plants were_-phellandrene (61%), sabinene (13%), terpinen-4-ol, tricyclene and bicyclogermacrene (3%). Regarding to the field-grown B. fruticosum plants, the leaf essential oil showed the same major components detected in the micropropagated plants, while the stem oil showed - terpinene (50%) and - α-phellandrene (18%) as the most important constituents. Furthermore, SPME analyses were carried out in order to show for the first time a complete investigation on the volatile organic constituents of the micropopagated and field-grown B. fruticosum parent plants.