A comparative study on volatile metabolites profile of Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C. Chen xylem with and without resin using GC-MS

Dragon's blood is a famous traditional Chinese medicine produced from source plants under bio- or abio-stress. Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C. Chen xylem (DX) is one of the most important sources of the medicine. In this work, a GC-MS method was developed for analysis of the n-hexane extracts of DX with resin (DXR) and without resin (DXW). The repeatability of the method was also investigated for a metabolite comparative study of the different xylems. About 80 components were detected, 26 of which were identified in both DXR and DXN. Three sesquiterpenes (τ-cadinol, τ-muurolon and α-cadinol) were first discovered in Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C. Chen. The chromatographs of the two plant materials were compared and differences of compounds were found. It showed that phytosterols showed a dramatic rise in content, and sesquiterpenes were found to be synthesized in DXR.