Analysis of the essential oil composition of eight Anthemis species from Greece.

The volatile composition of eight Anthemis species has been studied. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation in a modified Clevenger-type apparatus, and their analyses were performed by GC and GC-MS. Identification of the substances was made by comparison of mass spectra and retention indices with literature records. A total of 284 different compounds were identified and significant qualitative and quantitative differences and similarities were observed among the samples. The main constituents of the investigated populations of each taxon have been revealed as follows: A. altissima: (-)-linalool, trans-caryophyllene, cis-chrysanthenyl acetate; A. auriculata: spathulenol, trans-caryophyllene, beta-eudesmol; A. chia: cis-chrysanthenyl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, germacrene-d; A. cotula: germacrene-d, spathulenol A. tinctoria: spathulenol, (-)-caryophyllene oxide, T-cadinol; A. melanolepis: p-cymene, chrysanthenone, trans-verbenol, (-)-caryophyllene oxide; A. tomentosa: (-)-linalool, 1,8-cineole; A. werneri subsp. werneri: nopol, terpineol-4, trans-caryophyllene. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were shown to be the main group of constituents of all taxa.