Comparative Study on the Quantity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil, Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenol Content of Some Iranian Native Satureja Species under the Same Conditions

Satureja sp. belonging to the Lamiaceae family, has a wide variety and distribution in the world. In this research, essential oil content and components, phenol and antioxidant potential of five native Satureja species of Iran, including Satureja bachtiarica Bunge Bunge, S. sahendica Bornm., Satureja spicigera (K.Koch) Boiss., S. macrantha C.A.Mey. and S. mutica Fisch & C.A.Mey. were evaluated in the same conditions. The experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The highest and the lowest essential oil content were obtained from S. mutica (2.05%) and S. sahendica (0.96%), respectively. Thymol was identified as the dominant component of essential oil in S. spicigera and S. macrantha, but in the other species, carvacrol was the dominant constituent in essential oil. In S. sahendica, monoterpene hydrocarbons, but in the other species, oxygenated monoterpenes were as the major constituents of the essential oil. Total phenols of the studied species were not significantly different, but the antioxidant potential of their extracts was significantly different. Cluster analysis based on phytochemical properties, divided the species to two groups: S. spicigera and S. macrantha in one group and the other species in a separate group. Results showed considerable phytochemical diversity among species and therefore the superior species will vary depending on the desired phytochemical properties.