A voucher specimen is deposited at the herbarium
of plant phytochemistry division, Department of Zoology,
Annamalai University. Essential oil was obtained by the hydro-distillation
of 3 kg fresh leaves in a Clevenger apparatus for 8 h. The
oil layer was separated from the aqueous phase using a separating
funnel. The resulting essential oil was dried over anhydrous sodium
sulphate and stored in an amber-coloured bottle at 8 C for
analysis.