Chemical Composition and Antitermite Activity of Essential Oil from Artemisia absinthium Growing in Kashmir Valley of India

Artemisia absinthium is a herbaceous perennial plant with fibrous root and it belongs to the family Asteraceae. Due to having strong fragrance and pungent taste it has ability to defend itself from the herbivore animals. Essential oil extracted from leaves, stem and seeds of A. absinthium were analyzed for termite mortality as well as termite repellency. Chemical constituents of essential oil from all three parts were identified and compared by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Total 16 compounds identified in the essential oil of leaves, stem and seeds in which boronyl acetate was present in major amount 26.59 %, 27.17 % and 26.63 % respectively. L-terpenen-4-ol was also identified in higher amount in leaves, stem and seeds; 18.24 %, 17.07 % and 17.3 % respectively. Leaf, stem and seed essential oil tested for termite mortality and repellency against Microcerotermes beesoni. Leaf essential oil showed significant and seed essential oil all were found to have moderate activity.