Volatile Constituents and Insecticidal Activity of Essential Oil of Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G. L. Webster

The volatile constituents and insecticidal activity of essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of air-dried and pulverized leaves of Magaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G. L. Webster growing in Nigeria was studied. The constituents of the oil were analysed by means of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The percentage yield of oil was 0.10% (v/w), calculated on a dry weight basis. A total of fifteen compounds, representing 99.99% of the total component of the essential oil of M. discoidea were characterized. The major compounds identified in the oil were geranyl acetone (33.0%), phytol (12.7%) and (E)-α-ionone (11.6%). The result of insecticidal activity indicated that M. discoideaessential oil at a concentration of 120 mg/mL displayed 100% mortality against Sitophilus zeamais, at 72 h. This is the first report on the chemical constituents and insecticidal activity of essential oil of M. discoidea.