Investigation of phytochemical compounds of yarrow (Achillea millefolium) essential oil in Zanjan province natural habitats

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is one of the most well-known and available belong to Achillea genus from Asteraceae family is considered as an important medicinal plant in the world, due to its diversity of habitat and wide distribution in the Iran, which is widely used in traditional medicine, especially in the treatment of gastrointestinal inflammation. In order to study the essential oil compositions in Homayoun habitat located in the northern mountains of Zanjan, after selecting a suitable plant sample, the whole vegetative body of the plant was harvested in full bloom stage and above ground and after drying in room shade, it was powdered as a homogeneous mixture. The distillation method was extracted with water. Then, the components of the essential oil were identified and the amount of the components was identified using a gas chromatography device connected to a mass spectrometer. The results showed that the essential oil of the dry vegetative body of the plant had a white color with a yield of 0.74%. The most important main compounds identified in essential oils were: beta-pinene (4.71%), 1 -8-cineole (eucalyptol) (8.64%), (+) 2-bornanone (2.57%), borneol (4.23%), Caryophylline (2.11%), betanrolidol (7.78%), and caryophyllenoxide (4.89%), francol (9.87%), 7-epiodiodispermol (2.46%), xenyl acetate (3.52%). Cesquiterpene francol was first reported from this plant in Zanjan region with a value of 9.87%, which is noteworthy due to its anti-tumor effects.