Chemical composition of the essential oils of Cyperus rotundus L. from South Africa.

The essential oils from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus L. collected from two different locations (Empangeni-A and KwaDlangezwa-B; both in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa) were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. Forty-one and 43 components were identified, representing 89.9% and 92.0% of sample A and sample B, respectively. Alpha-cyperone (11.0%), myrtenol (7.9%), caryophyllene oxide (5.4%) and beta-pinene (5.3%) were major compounds in the oil of sample A. The main constituents of the oil of sample B were beta-pinene (11.3%), alpha-pinene (10.8%), alpha-cyperone (7.9%), myrtenol (7.1%) and alpha-selinene (6.6%).