[New data on composition of esssential oil from inflorescence of everlasting (Helichrysum arenarium(L.) Moench.)].

We investigated the composition of essential oil obtained from inflorescence of Helichrysum arenarium (everlasting) which is a perennial herb, native in our home and in Middle and South East Europe. We used essential oils obtained from Hungarian and Polish mercantile samples and a plant sample cultivated in Hungary (Soroksár) by steam-distillation. The GC and GC-MS investigation revealed the presence of more than 60 compounds from which 24 were identified. The identified compounds are as follows: linalool, alpha-terpineol, carvone monoterpenes; anethol, anisaldehyde, thymol, carvacrol, eugenol, beta-asarone, butylhydroxyanisole aromatic components; alpha-humulene, beta-caryophyllene, gamma-muurolene, delta-cadinene, copaene, alpha-gurjunene, caryophyllenol, delta-cadinol and globulol sesquiterpenes as well as caprilic, pelargonic, caprinic, laurinic acids and methyl palmitate as alkyl carbonic acid and their derivatives. We established that the main components of essential oil of Hungarian and Polish mercantile samples is methyl palmitate (28.5% and 21.7% respectively) but of cultivated sample is caprinic acid (19.8%). Comparing our results of essential oil composition with those obtained from other Helichrysum species it is surprising that the alkyl carbonic acids are the dominant essential oil constitutents of Helichrysum arenarium.