Essential oil content and composition of Ziziphora persica Bunge from different habitats

Ziziphora persica or Iranian kakooti is an annual aromatic plant from Labiatea family that grows wild in Iran and has strong antimicrobial effects. In this research, the aerial parts of this plant were collected at full flowering stage from six habitats. After confirmation of scientific names of the plants by Herbarium of Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands (TARI), the plant materials were dried at shade. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation, the yields were calculated based on dry weight and the oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Results showed that oil yields varied from 0.11% (Meshkin Shahr, Nodooz) to 0.39% (Alamoot, Ghazvine) for different samples. Seventeen to twenty-six components were identified in the essential oils. The main compound in the essential oil of Alamout and Gharetape samples were spathulenol (25.7% and 24.1%, respectively). The major compound in the oil of Urmieh sample was beta-bisabolene (28.8%). The main compound in others oils was epi-alpha-muurolol that its percentage in the oil of Meshkinshahr sample (20.8%) was higher than Gharechaman (17.1%) and Miyaneh (14.4%). Of course the three above components were found in all oils, but their percentages were completely different. Results of this research showed the oil of Ziziphora persica in Iran is completely different with other species of Ziziphora that contain pulegone as main compound in their oils.