Chemical Composition of Leaves and Flowers Essential Oil of Origanum vulgare ssp. gracile Growing Wild in Iran.

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from different organs (leaves and flowers) of Origanum vulgare ssp. gracile as an aromatic and medicinal plant from northwest of Iran, was separately analyzed and identified by GC and GC-MS. The results showed that essential oil content and composition of two organs were different. Essential oil contents were 1.44% and 2.44% for leaves and flowers, respectively. Twenty three components constituting 99.98% of leaf oil and eighteen components constituting 99.59% of flower oil were identified. The main constituents of leaf and flower oils were carvacrol (46.5% and 60.6%), β-terpinene (13.91% and 16.64%) and β-cymene (13.54% and 7.21%), respectively. Oxygenated monoterpenes (61.32% and 65.38%) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (30.81% and 29.4%) were the main classes of identified compounds in both organs oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]