Volatile Constituents of Ballota aucheri Boiss., Stachys benthamiana Boiss. and Perovskia abrotanoides Karel. Growing Wild in Iran

Abstract The composition of the essential oils from three Labiatae species of Iran—Ballota aucheri Boiss., Stachys benthamiana Boiss., and Perovskia abrotanoides Karel.—obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. α-Cadinol (21.0%) and dehydroaromadendrane (11.8%) were the main components among the 37 constituents characterized in the oil of B. aucheri, representing 82.5% of the total components detected. Twenty compounds were identified in the oil of S. benthamiana, representing 91.2% of the total oil, with germacrene D (16.8%), linalool (16.6%) and β-caryophyllene (11.0%) as the major constituents. The oil of P. abrotanoides was characterized by a higher amount of 1,8-cineole (28.0%) and camphor (24.0%), among the 23 components comprising 84.3% of the total oil detected. The endemic oils (B. aucheri and S. benthamiana) consisted mainly of sesquiterpenes, while in P. abrotanoides oil monoterpenes predominated.