Investigating and comparing the quantity and quality of essential oils of (Thymus vulgaris L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) in Shahrekord climate condition

Subject Areas : Medicinal Plants

Zohre Azade ¹ , Mojtaba Karimi ² , Faezeh Mokhtarian ³ , Keramatollah Saeidi ⁴ , Zahra Lorigooini ⁵

1 - Horticulture Department- Shahrekord University
2 - Department of Agronomy- Shahrekord University
3 - Horticulture Department- Shahrekord University
4 - Horticulture Department, Shahrekord University
5 - Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

Received: 2018-01-10 Accepted : 2018-04-29 Published : 2018-11-22

Keywords: Shahrekord, Thymus vulgaris L, Melissa officinalis L, Achillea millefoilum L, Essential oil,

Abstract :

In this research, the quantity and quality of essential oil of thyme (Thymusvulgaris L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) were evaluated in Shahrekord climate condition. Theaerial parts of these plants in full flowering stages were collectedin summer 2017 from a research farm of Shahrekord University. Essential oils were extracted by the hydrodistillation method in a clevenger apparatus and analyzed using GC and GC/MS. The essential oil content of thyme, lemon balm and yarrow were 0.12, 0.18and 0.10%, respectively. The main components of thyme essential oil were thymol (33.2%), α-terpinene (18.50%), p-cymene (10.9%) and linalool (5%). Neral (26.3%), geranial (25%), β-caryophyllene (6.9%), geranyl acetate (6.4%), cis-crysantenol (5.8%) were the most important compound of lemon balm essential oil. The main components of yarrow essential oil were cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (27.19%),cis-chrysantheol (13.16%), germacren D (7.24%), β-caryophyllene (6.69%) and thymol (6.15%). In conclusion, the results showed that essential oils of thyme, lemon balm, and yarrow hadsuitable quality in Shahrekord climateconditions.