CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF TWO SALVIA SPECIES FROM IRAN, SALVIA VIRGATA JACQ. AND SALVIA SYRIACA L.

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Salvia virgata Jacq. and Salvia syriaca L. growing wild in Iran were examined by GC and GC–MS. Fifteen components were characterized for S. virgata with β-caryophyllene (46.6%), germacrene B (13.9%), β-caryophyllene epoxide (13.2%), spathulenol (6.4%) and germacrene D (5.7%) as the major constituents. Twenty-two components were identified in the oil of S. syriaca, with germacrene-B (34.8%), germacrene-D (29.2%), α-ylangene (3.6%) and spathulenol (3.4%) as the major constituents. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.