Volatile compounds of grosella (Phyllanthus acidus [L.] Skeels) fruit

Abstract

Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels is a small tropical tree that grows up to 12 m tall, which bears pale-yellow
waxy fruits in abundance on the branches, which are edible and tastes sour; it is one of the few members of the
Euphorbiaceae family that has edible fruit. The tart flesh is used as a flavoring or made into jelly. Volatile constituents
from the ripe fruit were isolated by simultaneous distillation-solvent extraction with diethyl ether and analyzed by gas
chromatography with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Seventy-seven volatiles
were identified: 45 terpenes, 18 esters, seven acids, four aldehydes, two phenols, and one alcohol, of which 66 were found
for the first time in grosella. The total concentration of volatiles was ca 109 mg per kg of fresh fruit. According to the class
of compounds, terpenes (100.1 mg/kg) and acids (6.7 mg/kg) dominated the quantitative profile in the fruits, whereas
qualitatively terpenes and esters were the most representative. In the terpene group, many monoterpenes and
sesquiterpenes were identified, with the major representatives being epi-α-muurolol (32.9 mg/kg) and α-cadinol (22.1 mg/kg).
Hexadecanoic acid (3.8 mg/kg) was the major compound among the acids.