Essential oil composition of some Origanum species

Chemical compositions of O.majorana, O. onites and O. saccatum oils were determined by GC and GC-MS. The yields of the essential oils were 0.276%, 0.395% and 0.261% v/w, respectively. The most abundant compounds of O.majorana, O. onites and O.saccatum oils were a-terpinene, p-cymene, gamma-terpinene and carvacrol. The highest carvacrol (10.920%) and linalool (10.271%) were found in O. onites oil. in addition, while myrcene is found as 10.471% and 4.817% in O. majorana and O. onites oils, respectively. Myrcene was determined as 0.662% in O.saccatum. The key component of Oregano species tested is p-cymene. The contents of p-cymene in O.majorana, O. onites and O. soccatum oils were determined as 33.416%, 17.417% and 73.143%, respectively. Also, gamma-terpinene contents of oil samples ranged from 17.798% (O. saccatum) to 29.932% (O. majorana).