Investigation of the Essential oil Composition of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Flowers
G. N. Artikova
*
Karakalpak State University, 1 Ch. Abdirova Street, Nukus 230112, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
N. U. Yodgorova
Karakalpak State University, 1 Ch. Abdirova Street, Nukus 230112, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
N. Z. Narbayeva
Karakalpak State University, 1 Ch. Abdirova Street, Nukus 230112, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
J. M. Jumabaeva
Karakalpak State University, 1 Ch. Abdirova Street, Nukus 230112, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
A. D. Matchanov
Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 83 M. Ulugbek Street, Tashkent 700143, Uzbekistan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Elaeagnus angustifolia L. is an aromatic plant whose floral volatile composition may vary with geographical origin, developmental stage and environmental conditions. This study investigated the essential oil obtained from flowers collected in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, in May 2025. The flower material was subjected to hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and the resulting essential oil was analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The essential-oil yield was approximately 0.05–0.10% relative to the initial plant material. Three selected chromatographic signals were evaluated by mass-spectral library comparison. Peaks at retention times of 5.186, 8.848 and 12.399 min were tentatively assigned to ethyl (Z)-cinnamate, 2-pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl-, and E-11-hexadecenoic acid ethyl ester, respectively. The corresponding software-reported probability values were 51.990, 45.280 and 8.890. These assignments represent aromatic cinnamate ester, aliphatic ketone and unsaturated fatty acid ester classes. Because identification was based principally on mass-spectral library comparison and authentic reference standards were not analysed, the reported compounds should be regarded as tentative. The findings provide a preliminary chemical fingerprint of the volatile fraction of E. angustifolia flowers collected under the investigated regional conditions. Further confirmation using defined retention-index comparisons, authentic standards and quantitative chromatographic analysis is required for definitive characterisation of individual constituents and their relative abundance.
Keywords: Elaeagnus angustifolia, Russian olive, oleaster flowers, Karakalpakstan, floral volatiles, essential oil, hydrodistillation, Clevenger apparatus, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, tentative identification, retention indices