Evaluating essential oil constituent of four Allium species of the subgenus and section Allium

Allium, with more than 850 species consisting of 120 Iranian ones, is the largest genus of Amaryllidaceae family. Although much more consumption of Alliums leaves, however, there is little information for evaluation essential oil composition of leaves under field condition. In this study essential oil compositions of four species belong to the subgenus and section Allium was evaluated using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Our results showed that fresh leaves essential oil of Allium species were quantitatively and qualitatively different which medically and nutritionally might be considered. 68, 21, 29, 31 and total of 127 compounds were detected in A. fistulosum, A. iranicum, A. porrum, A. sativum and section Allium, respectively. Trisulfide, dipropyl (34%), 1,2,4-Trithiolane, 3,5-diethyl (16%) in A. iranicum, Diallyl disulphide (46%), Trisulfide, di-2-propenyl (11%) in A. sativum, Trisulfide, dipropyl (13.43%), Diallyl disulphide (10.38%) and Disulfide, dipropyl (8.93%) in A. fistulosum and n-Hexadecanoic acid (11.74%), Disulfide, dipropyl (10.38%) and Trisulfide, dipropyl (8.26%) in A. porrum were the most compounds. Many compounds detected in leaves were reported here for the first time which emphasis the importance of the evaluating essential oil of endemic species in exploration of new compounds. Overall, these results could be considered in Allium chemotaxonomic assessments and future breeding programs.