Variation in the composition of the essential oil of Valeriana officinalis L. roots from Estonia

The volatile constituents from roots of Valeriana officinalis L. were investigated using GC and GC/MS methods. Valerianae radix samples were obtained from retail pharmacies or cultivated in Estonia. The roots of five V. officinalis samples yielded 0.28–1.16% essential oil in the cut drug, which usually corresponded (four samples) to the European Pharmacopeia standard (0.3%). The basic oil components among the identified 84 compounds were isovaleric acid (0–2.1%), α-pinene (0.4–3.6%), α-fenchene (0.6–5.8%), camphene (0.6–5.9%), bornyl acetate (8.8–33.7%), myrtenyl acetate (2.0–7.2%), alloaromadendrene (0.3–7.6%), myrtenyl isovalerate (1.1–2.5%), spathulenol (0.7–4.1%), sesquiterpene alcohol (0.8–6.6%), valerianol (0.3–16.7%), valeranone (0.5–9.4%), and valerenal (tr–14.7%). Valerian root oil from Estonia (four samples) was rich in bornyl acetate and valerenal. Bornyl acetate, valerianol, and valeranone dominated in one Estonian sample.