Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 77 (1): 43-50, 2004
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Variation of chemical compounds in leaves of Drimys spp. (Magnoliophyta:
Winteraceae) populations in Chile
Canelo (Drimys winteri) is a Chilean native tree with medicinal properties and
sacred to mapuche people. This species contains chemical compounds with biological activity such as: essential oils, terpenes and
flavonoids, which were quantified in leaves of five D. winteri and one D. andina populations by hydrodistillation
(essential oils), hexane Soxhlet extraction (terpenes), and spectrophotometry (flavonoids). Mean concentrations of 0.5 mL 100
g<sup>-1</sup> for essential oils, 7.1 % for terpenes and 1.8 % for flavonoids in leaves (dry mass) were determined. Despite
the great variation found, significant differences among populations were detected in concentrations of all groups of chemical
compounds studied. Populations from the central region of Chile presented the highest values of essential oils (0.68 mL 100
g<sup>-1</sup> in Huerta de Maule population), terpenes, and flavonoids (9.47 and 2.37 %, respectively, both in the Pangal
population). The southernmost population, located in Chiloé Island, showed the lowest values for the three groups of compounds: 0.22
mL 100 g-1 for essential oils, 3.36 % for terpenes and 1.21 % for flavonoids. D. winteri and D. andina
populations from the IX region, geographically close to each other, had different concentrations of essential oils and flavonoids. It
is concluded that different Drimys populations actually contain different quantities of essential oils, terpenes, and
flavonoids.
Key words:
Drimys,
essential oils, terpenes, flavonoids
