Spathulenol as the most abundant component of essential oil of Moluccella aucheri (Boiss.) Scheen

Abstract

The genus Moluccella (Lamiaceae) encompasses eight species among which Moluccella aucheri (Boiss.) Scheen and M. laevis L. are available in Iran. The aim of this study is characterizing the essential oil of dried aerial parts of M. aucheri collected from the South of Iran. The essential oil was hydrodistilled and then analysed by GC-MS. Twenty-one compounds were identified in the oil of M. aucheri. The most abundant components of the oil were an aromadendrane sesquiterpene; spathulenol (63.3%) together with a diterpenoid; phytol (3.5%) and a linear sesquiterpene, E-nerolidol (3.1%).