A Study on Mongolian Mints. A New Chemotype from<i>Mentha asiatica</i>Borriss and Constituents of<i>M. arvensis</i>L. and<i>M. piperita</i>L.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The essential oils of Mentha asiatica Borriss, M. arvensis L. and M. piperita L. of Mongolian origin were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The oils of M. asiatica and M. arvensis, which were produced from plants collected from their natural habitat, were found to contain rosefuran (11.56%) and rosefuran oxide (63.17%), and (Z)-β-ocimene (10.60%), (E)-β-ocimene (>17.0%) and linalool (46.63%) respectively. The oil of M. piperita, which was produced from cultivated plants, contained the usual constituents such as menthone (32.22%) and menthol (35.07%) as major compounds. The rosefuran/rosefuran oxide-rich M. asiatica is an example of a new chemotype, whereas the M. arvensis was found to be similar to a chemotype previoulsy found in N. America. The identities of rosefuran and rosefuran oxide were confirmed by 1H- and 13C-NMR.