**2. Chemical constituents of** *A. flagellaris*

The yield (w/w %) of the essential oils extracted from *A. flagellaris* leaves and roots using the hydrodistillation method was only 0.80 and 0.44%, respectively, based on the dry weight of the plant samples [31, 32]. The volatile oils had a distinctive aroma of thyme. The GC-MS technique was used to examine the chemicals found in the essential oils of *A. flagellaris* leaves and roots. In **Tables 1** and **2**, the detected ingredients and the total ion concentration (TIC) in % were summarized. Twentyeight (28) and nineteen (19) compounds in total, accounting for 97.41 and 97.03% of the oil, respectively, were discovered using GC-MS analysis of leaves and root EOs. According to reports, the EOs are a blend of terpenes, terpene derivatives, nonterpenes and thymol and its derivatives.


*Thymol and Its Derivatives Rich Essential Oils from* Asparagus flagellaris *and Therapeutic… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113197*

#### **Table 1.**

*Constituents of* A. flagellaris *roots EO.*

Thymol and its derivatives made up the majority of the leaves essential oil (EO), which included 57.48% of it, along with its derivatives (thymol-2-methyl butyrate, 17.34%, 5-thymyl tiglate, 18.49%, thymol hydroquinone dimethyl ether, 10.52%). Additionally, the leaves essential oil (EO) has 12.99% oxygenated sesquiterpenes of therapeutic significance, including 7-epi-cis-sesquisabinene hydrate, 6-(3-isopropenyl-2-methyl-1-cyclopropen-1-yl)-6-methyl-2-heptanol and others. Germacra-4(15), 5,10(14)-trien-1-ol, cis-Farnesol, 8-Cedre-13-ol and Longiverbenone. 15.04% hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (β-Copaene, Germacrene D, ϒ-Muurolene,δ-Cadiene, β-Bisabolene, α-uurolene, ϒ-Cadine-1,4-diene, Valence, 8,9-dihydro-cycloisolongifolene and α-Patchoulene), 6.62% oxygenated monoterpenes (5-Propyl-1,3-benzodioxol, Bornyl acetate, (E)-Cinnamyl alcohol and 2-Allyl-cresol), 0.75% oxygenated diterpene (phytol) and 4.55% non-terpenes/ non-terpenoids.

Nevertheless, the majority of the EO's roots (84.54%) were thymol derivatives (thymol hydroquinone dimethylether, 12.72%, thymol methyl ether, 25.80%, thymyl-2-methylbutyrate, thymol isobutyrate, 8, 9-dehydro-4-hydroxy thymol dimethylether, 5.4% and thymyl tiglate, 34.73%). 1.36% oxygenated sesquiterpenes (Bisabolol), 3.10% oxygenated monoterpenes (1-(2, 5-dimethoxyphenyl and Durenol)-Ethanone), 3.10% hydrogen sesquiterpenes (Santalene, Cis-Farnesene,


**Table 2.** *Constituents of* A. flagellaris *leaves EO.*

Bisabolene and Humulene), and 10.99% non-terpenes/non-terpenoids. However, thymol derivatives were shown to be the main component of the EOs of *A. montana's* subsurface organs [33, 34].
