Résumé
The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of leaves, bark and roots of Pentadesma butyracea collected in Natitingou (Benin) were investigated by capillary GC and GC/MS. Twenty-eight components, representing 97-99% of oils, were identified. The samples were exclusively sesquiterpenic, dominated in all cases by β-caryophyllene (58.0-75.0%) and α-humulene (10.1-14.2%); the leaf oil was characterized by a high content of α-copaene (14.2%). Finally, no significant antiradical activity (DPPH method) or inhibitory effect on the soybeen lipoxygenase activity could be observed.