Essential Oil Composition of Three Cultivated Thymus Chemotypes from Hungary

Abstract

The essential oils of three Hungarian cultivated thymes (Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus x citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb, Thymus x citriodorus “archer's gold”) were obtained by steam distillation of air-dried plant materials and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Three different chemotypes were found. In the oil of T. vulgaris thymol (45.6%), in T. x citriodorus geraniol (39.2%) and in T. x citriodorus, “archer's gold,” carvacrol (43.5%) was the main component. Among the other constituents, p-cymene, β-caryophyllene, geranial, 1,8-cineole and γ-terpinene were characterized.

Key Word Index:

• Thymus vulgaris
• Thymus x citriodorus
• Thymus x citriodorus “archer's gold,” Lamiaceae
• essential oil composition
• thymol
• carvacrol
• geraniol