Essential Oil of Inula sarana Boiss. (Compositae), an Endemic Species of Turkey

The genus Inula L. (Compositae) is represented in Turkey by 27 species and altogether 32 taxa of which eight are endemic [1–3]. Inula species are used as cholagogue, diuretic, antitussive, expectorant, anthelminthic and tonic in the Turkish folk medicine [4]. We have analyzed the hydrodistilled essential oil of Inula sarana Boiss., an endemic species of Turkey for the first time, by GC and GC/MS. 26 compounds were characterized representing 96.2% of the total composition. Main components were hexadecanoic acid (22.4%), 15-hexadecanolide (16.9%) and pentacosane (15.5%). References: [1] Davis PH, (Ed.) (1972), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Vol. 4, Edinburgh Univ. Press., Edinburgh. [2] Davis PH, et al. (1988), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Vol. 10, Edinburgh Univ. Press., Edinburgh. [3] Guner A, et al. (2000), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Vol. 11, Edinburgh Univ. Press., Edinburgh. [4] Baytop T, (1999), Therapy with Plants in Turkey (Past and Present), 2nd ed., Nobel Tip Basimevi, Istanbul.