Volatile constituents of Nepeta heliotropifolia Lam., Mentha mozaffarianii Jamzad and Ziziphora persica Bunge. Three Labiatae herbs growing wild in Iran

The composition of the essential oils from three Labiatae species from Iran-Nepeta heliotropifolia Lam. and Mentha mozaffariani Jamzad, which are endemic to Iran, and Ziziphora persica Bunge.-were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. 1,8-Cineole (16.8%), 4aalpha,7alpha,7abeta nepetalactone (16.3%), cis-sabinene hydrate (16.1%) and linalool (11.9%) were the main components among the 23 constituents characterized in the oil of Nepeta heliotropifolia, representing 92.8% of the total components detected. Twenty compounds were identified in the oil of M. mozaffarianii, representing 83.6% of the total oil, with 1,8-cineole (53.5%) being the major constituent. The oil of Z persica was characterized by high amount of pulegone (27.8%), neomenthol (22.5%) and p-menth-3-en-8-ol (18.1%) among the 34 components, comprising 94.7% of the total oil detected. All three oils were richer in oxygenated monoterpenes than sesquiterpenes.