Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils ofAgathosma betulina, A. crenulataand anA. betulinaxcrenulataHybrid (Buchu)

Abstract
The chemical composition of three different buchu essential oils which were derived from Agathosma betulina, A. crenulata and an A betulina x crenulata hybrid respectively (fam. Rutaceae) was investigated by means of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Approximately 40 compounds, all known, were detected. A. betulina was characterized by 31% of (iso)menthone, 41% (ϕ)-diosphenol and 3% of the olfactory important cis- and trans-8-mercapto-p-menthane-3-ones. The A. crenulata oil contained very high quantities of pulegone (54%) besides considerable quantities of trans-8-acetylthio-p-menthan-3-one (7%). The hybrid showed, apart from a very high concentration of (iso)menthone (55%), an intermediate composition.