The oil composition of three Ficus species (Moraceae): Ficus lutea Vahl., Ficus polita Valil., and
Ficus thonningii Blume., were studied by GC and GC/MS. The main compounds in F. lutea were acorenone
B (20.7%) and phytol (16.2%), with significant quantities of demethoxyageratochromene (6.0%), 6, 10, 14-
trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (5.1%) and zingiberene (5.2%). However, F. polita had phytol (23.3%) and 6, 10,
14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (15.0%) in abundance, in addition to sizeable proportions of (E)-6, 10-
dimethyl-5, 9-undecadien-2-one (7.3%) and drimenol (5.8%), while F. thonningii comprised 6, 10, 14-
trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (18.8%) and phytol (14.7%). Acorenone B (7.6%) and ?-gurjunene (6.3%) were
also observed in higher amounts. Phytol and 6, 10, 14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone seem to be the marker
components of Nigerian grown Ficus species as it is evident in this report and previous studies. ?? 2008
Allured Publishing Corp.
