Chemical composition of root aroma of Decalepisarayalpathra (J. Joseph and V. Chandras.) Venter, an endemic and endangered ethnomedicinal plant from Western Ghats, India

Decalepisarayalpathra (J. Joseph and V. Chandras.) Venter, which belongs to the family Apocynaceae, is a perennial under shrub, endemic to southern Western Ghats, India. The highly aromatic tuberous roots of the D. arayalpathra are used as an effective remedy for peptic ulcer, cancer-like afflictions and as rejuvenating tonic by native tribes. The objective of this study was to characterise the root aroma of D. arayalpathra for possible industrial applications. Hydrodistilled volatile oil of the roots was analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The volatile oil was characterised by the presence of higher amount of an industrially important flavour molecule, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (96.8%) along with some other minor or trace constituents. Owing to characteristic vanillin-like flavour, the root oil of the D. arayalpathra can be explored as a potential substitute of vanillin-aroma in the flavour industry.