LAUSR

Abstract The volatile constituents from the n-hexane extracts of the roots and rhizomes of Valeriana officinalis (VO) and Valeriana turkestanica (VT) were investigated by GC-MS analysis. Two VO samples were obtained from cultivation, one from commercially available material, while VT was collected in a mountain of Kazakhstan. The most characteristic components present in all of the analysed samples were sesquiterpenoids. The three investigated samples of VO produced mainly valerenane and kessane sesquiterpenoids. Acetoxyvalerenic acid (33.94%), valerenic acid (15.05%), valerenal (11.93%), valeric acid 2,6-dimethylnon-1-en-3-yn-5-yl ester (5.24%), valerenol (3.31%), elemol (3.19%) and (E)-valerenyl isovalerate (2.53%), were the common components identified in the n-hexane extract from the roots of VT. In comparison to VO this species does not produce kessane sesquiterpenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study shows that the roots of VT possess compounds of high biological significance, since they have the appropriate contents of valerenic acid and its derivatives, thus VT can be considered as a substitute for VO.