Chemical Composition of Tanacetum larvatum Essential Oil

Abstract

Tanacetum larvatum (Oris.) Kanitz. is an endemic perennial herb distributed on a rocky terrain in Serbia (Kosovo), Montenegro and Albania. The chemical composition of T. larvatum essential oil, obtained from two locations in Montenegro (Mt. Komovi [Sample I] and Mt. Prokletije [Sample II]) was investigated. The oils obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC and GC/MS, on the two different capillary columns. The aerial parts of T. larvatum yielded 0.3% and 0.2% of a yellowish oil (Sample I and Sample II, respectively). About 40 compounds were identified, representing ∼89% and 96% of the total oil content in the Samples I and II, respectively. trans-Sabinyl acetate was found to be the dominant component (51.2% and 69.7%). Among the rest of compounds β-pinene (7.7% and 4.3%) and camphor (6.3% and 4.3%) were the most abundant in both samples.