Abstract
The chemical compositions of the essential oils of Salvia potentillifolia (Lamiaceae) were analyzed by GC and GCMS. The oils were obtained by four different methods (hydrodistillation, steam distillation, and two extraction methods) to investigate the effect of temperature on the volatile compounds. In total, 121 components were detected in the various oils. The major compounds characterized were α-pinene (30.2, 31.2, 10.6, and 14.8 %) and β-pinene (15.0, 14.6, 7.6, and 11.4%), respectively. Surprisingly, the percentage concentrations of α-pinene and β-pinene in the hydrodistilled and steam distilled oils were high, even though prepared at high temperature, whereas the contents of both compounds were lower in the essential oils obtained by the extraction methods prepared without added heat. The percentage concentration of 8,13-epoxy-labda-14-en-2-one, a diterpenoid, in the extracted essential oil was 22 times higher than in the hydrodistilled and steam distilled essential oils. However, the concentrations of cis-p-menth-2-en-1-ol was four times, and β-bourbonene and β-caryophyllene two times superior than their percentage concentrations in the hydrodistilled and steam distilled essential oils.