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Diversity in chemical compositions of essential oil of myrtle leaves from various natural habitats in south and southwest Iran

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Abstract

Myrtle, Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae), an evergreen shrub also known as wild myrtle, has a history of use as a culinary and medicinal plant. To determine the diversity within the species, plant leaves of myrtle were collected in 12 natural habitats in Iran for investigation of chemical constituents in the essential oil. Extraction of the essential oils produced yields ranging from 0.7 to 1.5 mL per 100 g dry tissue. An analysis of the oils by GC and GC/MS revealed 40 compounds, constituting 90.1–99.9 % of the essential oils. Chemical constituents varied with the site of sample origin, although the principal essential oil components from all populations, were α-pinene (17.5–37.1 %), 1,8-cineole (9.9–29.8 %), linalool (7.0–23.1 %), and α-terpineol (5.3–8.3 %). Limonene (tr, 22.7 %) was a major constituent in three populations. Characterized chemotypes included Chemotype I: α-pinene/1,8-cineole/linalool, Chemotype II: α-pinene/linalool, Chemotype III: α-pinene/1,8-cineole, and Chemotype IV: α-pinene/1,8-cineole/limonene. The main source of variability in chemical composition and oil yield appeared to be differences in environmental conditions and chemotypes as plant populations collected from close geographical areas could be classified in a cluster.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicinal Plants, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch, P. O. Box 166, Shahrekord, Iran

    Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti

  2. Medicinal Plants Program, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA

    Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti & Lyle E. Craker

Authors
  1. Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti
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  2. Lyle E. Craker
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Correspondence to Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti.

Additional information

Project funding: This work was supported by Deputy of Researches and Technology, Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord Branch, Iran (No Grant., IAUSHK-6121).

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com

Corresponding editor: Hu Yanbo

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Ghasemi Pirbalouti, A., Craker, L.E. Diversity in chemical compositions of essential oil of myrtle leaves from various natural habitats in south and southwest Iran. J. For. Res. 26, 971–981 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-015-0094-0

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