Essential oil analysis of Iranian Satureja edmondi and S. isophylla

The genus Satureja presents 14 aromatic species in Iran, eight of them are endemic. In this research, the essential oil content and composition of two endemic species were investigated. Essential oils from aerial parts of Satureja edmondi Briquet and Satureja isophylla Rech. f. were obtained by hydrodistillation. The oils were analysed by capillary gas chromatography, using flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection. Thirty components were identified in the oil of S. edmondi, with p‐cymene (61.1%), γ‐terpinene (9.6%), thymol (5.0%) and α‐terpineol (4.8%) as the main constituents. Fifty‐five compounds were identified in the oil of S. isophylla, with α‐eudesmol (11.3%), β‐eudesmol (9.6%), camphor (7.1%), β‐caryophyllene (6.1%), γ‐eudesmol (5.8%) and geranial (5.5%) as the main components. The results showed different composition of the essential oils of these Satureja species. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.