Chemical Composition of Essential Oils of Four Tanacetum Species from the Alpine Regions in Iran

Abstract

Essential oils from the inflorescences of Tanacetum kotschyi and T. persicum, aerial parts of T. chiliophyllum and T. polycephalum collected from the alpine area of Zagros Mountains (2700-3000 m) in Southwest Iran were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Essential oil yields of four Tanacetum species ranged from 0.25 to 0.55 ml/100 g dry material. Results of the analysis indicated chemical differences among the four Tanacetum species. The main constituents of the essential oils were linalool, camphor, trans-chrysanthenyl acetate, carvacrol, cis-chrysanthenol, and thymol for T. chiliophyllum; α-bisabolol, camphor, carvacrol, and 1,8-cineole for T. kotschyi; borneol, and bornyl acetate for T. persicum; 1,8-cineole, borneol, bornyl acetate, and camphor for T. polycephalum. The essential oils of the four studied Tanacetum species sourced in the alpine region of southwestern Iran were rich in oxygenated monoterpenes, which are widely used in food and drug industries.

Key words:

• Tanacetum kotschyi
• Tanacetum persicum
• Tanacetum polycephalum
• Tanacetum chiliophyllum
• oxygenated monoterpenes
• essential oil