Planta Med 2008; 74 - PI27
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084935

Composition of essential oil from Salvia officinalis L. of Iran

F Nazari 1, S Shaabani 2, Z Kazemizadeh 1, E Jafari 3
  • 1Department of Phytochemistry, Academic Centre for Education Culture & Research, Shahid Beheshti Branch, Shahid Beheshti University, Evin, Tehran, P.O. Box 19615–1171, Iran
  • 2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, P.O. Box 19839–63113, Iran
  • 3Research center of Agricltural and Natural Resources of Fars Province

The genus Salvia L., one of the largest genera in the Lamiaceae family, comprises over 900 species in the world. In Flora Iranica is represented by fifty-eight species. Some species of Salvia have been cultivated worldwide for their use in folk medicine and for culinary purposes. One of these species Salvia officinalis L. is the most representative within the genus [1, 2, 3]. The aerial parts of Salvia officinalis L. grown in Iran were hydrodistilled for 4 hours, using a Clevenger-type apparatus to yield 1.2% (w/w) of dark yellowish oil. The oil was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The constituents of the essential oil were identified by comparison of their mass spectra and retention indices (RI) with those given in the literature and authentic samples [4].

Thirty-two compounds were characterized in the essential oil of S. officinalis, representing 96.8% of the oil, of which α-thujone (14.31%),1,8-cineol (13.08%), viridiflorol (13.07%), camphor (9.9), 13-epimanool (8.11%) were found to be the major components.

Acknowledgement: The authors acknowledge the financial contribution from the Research and Technology Deputy of ACECR (Academic Centre for Education Culture & Research) for supporting this research.

References: 1. Maksimovic, M. et al. (2007) Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 35: 473–478.

2. Rechinger K.H (1987) Flora Iranica. Akademische Druck and Verlagsanstalt. Graz. Austria.

3. Iman Shahidi, M. & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2006). Phytother. Res. 20: 427–437.

4. Adams R. P. (2001) Identification of Essential oil Components by Gas Chromatography/Quadrupole Mass spectroscopy. Allured Publishing Crop. Carol stream, IL.