The effect of harvest periods on the chemical compositions of essential oils of sage (Salvia aucheri L.) leaves

The essential oils of sage leaves (Salvia aucheri Bentham var. canescens Boiss. & Heldr.), growing wild in South Anatolia, were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC–MS. The percentage yields of the essential oils from sage leaves harvested at different years were 1.0%, 1.3%, 1.3%, 1.0%, 1.4%, 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively. In this study, 1,8-cineole, camphre, camphene α-pinene and β-pinene were identified as the major components of sage leaves collected at different periods. The main constituents of sage oil collected over the years were 1,8-cineole (35.01–48.06%), camphre (13.58–23.92%), camphene (6.77–8.82%), α-pinene (5.79–8.54%) and β-pinene (4.32–6.28%).