Essential Oils of Nepeta kurdica and Nepeta Chionophila from Iran as two Sources of Nepetalactone Isomers

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the volatile compounds of essential oils found in the aerial parts of two Nepeta species (N. kurdica Hausskn. & Bornm, and N. chionophila Boiss. & Hausskn.). This is the first phytochemical investigation of these two Nepeta species. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by a combination of capillary gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Nineteen compounds accounting for 90.8% of N. kurdica oil were identified, while there were fifteen volatile components corresponding to 95.1% in N. chionophila oil. Nepetalactone isomers make up 64.2% of N. kurdica and 90.5% of N. chionophila oils. The main component of N. kurdica oil was 4aa-7a-7aa-nepeta lactone (57.7%), while 4aα-7a-7ab-nepeta lactone (71.8%) and 4aa-7a-7aa-nepeta lactone (15.9%) were the major constituents of N. chionophila oil. So the essential oils of N. chionophila (endemic) and N. kurdica (native) can be used the same as catnip (N. cataria) oil that is used for antimicrobial, repellent and insecticide effect, as a fortifier, a disinfectant and a cure against cold.

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Main Subjects

Journal of Medicinal plants and By-product

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 October 2023

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