Planta Med 2008; 74 - PI52
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084960

Chemical composition of the essential oil of the Greek endemic species Marrubium thessalum (Lamiaceae)

C Argyropoulou 1, A Karioti 1, H Skaltsa 1
  • 1Department of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece

The genus Marrubium comprises approximately 30 species, indigenous in Europe, the Mediterranean area and Asia [1]. Marrubium thessalum Boiss. & Heldr. is a Greek endemic species distributed in mountain pastures of central Greece (Thessalia) [2]. The species was collected during the flowering time and the essential oil was obtained by steam distillation [3]. The composition of the volatile constituents was established by GC and GC-MS analyses. The steam distillation of the aerial parts of M. thessalum gave pale yellowish mobile oil in 0.03% (w/w) yield. Thirty compounds were identified, representing 92.5% of the total oil, which was characterized by the absence of monoterpenes. Caryophyllene oxide (21.7%), β-caryophyllene (17.6%), germacrene D (15.3%), β-bisabolene (12.6%) and trans-β-farnesene (8.1%) were found to be the main components. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (60.0%) constituted the major portion of the oil, compared to oxygenated sesquiterpenes (29.6%) and other constituents (2.9%). Previous studies revealed that β-caryophyllene is also the main compound of M. velutinum oil [4], while this compound and its oxide are the main compounds of M. cylleneum oil; both plants growing wild in Greece [5]. In agreement with previous reports, the genus Marrubium seems to be oil-poor. M. thessalum appears to possess oil that is rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and deficient in odouriferous oxygenated compounds [4].

Acknowledgements: Argyropoulou C gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Alexander S. Onassis foundation. The authors wish to thank Dr. Th. Constantinidis for the identification of the plant.

References: 1. Mabberley, D.J. (1997) The Plant Book. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. p.440.

2. Cullen, J. (1972) Flora Europea. Tutin T.G. et al. (eds.) Cambridge University Press. Vol.3, pp.137–138.

3. Hellenic Pharmacopoeia V. Athens: National Organization for Medicines of Greece, 2002. Chapter 28:12.

4. Lazari, D.M. et al. (1999) Flavour Fragr. J. 14:290–292.

5. Skaltsa, H. et al. (1997) Pharm. Pharmacol. Lett. 4:184–186.