Volatile Constituents of Seeds of Nigella orientalis Cultivated in Poland.

Volatile organic compounds from the seeds of Nigella orientalis L. were isolated by hydrodistillation and headspace- solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME). Thirty compounds were identified, 16 of which were new for this plant material. The predominant group of components were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, among which the major were: β-elemene, δ-cadinene and α-selinene. By applying HS-SPME, it was possible to detect more compounds than by means of hydrodistillation. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were identified both in hydrodistilled essential oils and those analyzed using HS-SPME, while monoterpenes and low boiling non-terpenes were detectable only by means of HS-SPME method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]