Planta Med 2008; 74 - PI10
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084918

Volatile Constituents of Thymus moesiacus Velen. from Bosnia

S Ćavar 1, 2, D Vidic 1, M Maksimović 1
  • 1University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Zmaja od Bosne 33–35, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • 2University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Aškerčeva 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

The essential oil and headspace obtained from odorous parts of Thymus moesiacus Velen., an endemic species from Bosnia and Herzegovina, were subjected to capillary GC/MS analysis. The identification of the volatile constituents was accomplished by computer library search, retention indices RI, and the visual interpretation of mass spectra with those found in the literature [1] and in the laboratory own database.

Fifty-seven compounds were identified in both samples: fifty-five in essential oil, and thirty-five in headspace sample, representing 99.27% and 99.49%, respectively. The most abundant components in essential oil were gamma-muurolene (24.68%), thymol (8.62%) and bornyl acetate (8.26%), while the main constituents of the headspace sample were p-cymene (18.07%), alpha-pinene (15.34%), and gamma-muurolene (12.91%).

Presented results significantly differ from those previously published [2,3], which is in agreement with the fact of complex chemical polymorphism of this genus.

References:

1. Adams, R.P. (2001) Identification of Essential oil of Components by Gas Chromatography/Quadrupole Mass Spectroscopy. Allured Publishing Corporation. Illinois.

2. Kulevanova, S. et al. (1996) Planta Med. 62:78–79.

3. Ćavar, S. et al. (2006) IV Balkan Botanical Congress, Sofia, Book of Abstracts, p.285.