Chemical Composition of<i>Satureja hortensis</i>L Essential Oils Depending on Ontogenetic Stage and Season

Abstract

Abstract The essential oil isolated from the air-dried leaf/flower fraction of Satureja hortensis L. (family: Lamiaceae) grown in Quedlinburg, Germany, was analysed by GC/FID. Plants were cultivated in summer as well as in autumn. Twelve components were identified, independent of season, among which carvacrol was the main component with a range of 55.3–59.5% in the summer and 55.5–57.9% in the autumn, respectively. γ-Terpinene varied between 30.1–33.8% in the summer and 32.1–33.5% in the autumn. From the other compounds detected, α—terpinene (2.9–3.3%) and p-cymene (2.3–3.8%) occurred in notable quantity. With the increase of γ—terpinene in summer cultivation, a decrease of carvacrol was observed. Key Word Index: Satureja hortensis Lamiaceae summer savoryessential oil compositioncarvacrolγ-terpineneontogenesisseasonal variation