BioMed Research International

Review Article

An Overview of the Biological Effects of Some Mediterranean Essential Oils on Human Health

Table 2

Chemical composition of some common Mediterranean plant essential oils.
Some of main
Single constituents 		KiKiPercentage
ApiaceaeLamiaceaeVerbenaceaeIdentification
AniseCarawayLavenderMarjoramOreganoSageThymeVervain
-Thujene9301,035—0.2 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.00.5 ± 0.00.4 ± 0.0T—1, 2
-Pinene9381,0320.3 ± 0.00.5 ± 0.2—9.0 ± 0.10.4 ± 0.04.4 ± 0.12.5 ± 0.10.2 ± 0.01, 2, 3
(-)-Camphene9531,076——0.7 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.04.1 ± 0.01.0 ± 0.1—1, 2, 3
Sabinene9731,132T1.0 ± 0.1T1.1 ± 0.1T0.4 ± 0.0T0.5 ± 0.01, 2, 3
-Pinene9781,118—7.4 ± 0.4—3.8 ± 0.90.2 ± 0.02.5 ± 0.1—T1, 2, 3
cis-Pinane980 —0.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0—0.1 ± 0.0———1, 2
Myrcene9931,174—0.7 ± 0.10.3 ± 0.00.7 ± 0.30.5 ± 0.00.5 ± 0.10.1 ± 0.0—1, 2, 3
-Phellandrene9951,1760.1 ± 0.0T0.2 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0TT—1, 2, 3
o-Cymene1,0201,1870.1 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.00.6 ± 0.12.6 ± 0.941.9 ± 0.12.5 ± 0.256.2 ± 0.20.1 ± 0.01, 2, 3
p-Cymene1,0241,280—0.1 ± 0.10.3 ± 0.00.4 ± 0.10.1 ± 0.01.2 ± 0.10.1 ± 0.0—1, 2, 3
-Phellandrene1,0291,218T0.6 ± 0.20.1 ± 0.09.1 ± 0.50.1 ± 0.01.0 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.10.7 ± 0.21, 2, 3
Limonene1,0301,203—14.3 ± 0.50.3 ± 0.06.4 ± 0.50.3 ± 0.01.4 ± 0.00.6 ± 0.02.3 ± 0.91, 2, 3
1,8-Cineole1,0341,213—0.1 ± 0.0T33.5 ± 0.30.6 ± 0.14.2 ± 0.3T0.4 ± 0.11, 2
(Z)-β-Ocimene1,0381,246T0.1 ± 0.01.7 ± 0.30.1 ± 0.0TTTT1, 2, 3
(E)-β-Ocimene1,0491,280—0.3 ± 0.10.6 ± 0.10.2 ± 0.1TTT0.3 ± 0.11, 2, 3
γ-Terpinene1,0571,255TTT0.8 ± 0.32.8 ± 0.20.1 ± 0.00.4 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.01, 2, 3
Linalool1,0971,5530.4 ± 0.10.5 ± 0.123.1 ± 0.29.8 ± 0.70.7 ± 0.31.1 ± 0.060.4 ± 0.10.1 ± 0.01, 2, 3
trans-Thujone1,1151,449—0.1 ± 0.0—T—37.9 ± 0.1——1, 2, 3
trans-Pinocarveol1,1381,654—TT0.1 ± 0.0T0.2 ± 0.0TT1, 2
(-)-Citronellal1,1431,491—————0.2 ± 0.00.5 ± 0.1—1, 2, 3
iso-Borneol1,1441,633———0.1 ± 0.0——0.1 ± 0.0—1, 2, 3
Camphor1,1451,532—T0.9 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.0T13.9 ± 0.7T—1, 2, 3
iso-Pinocamphone1,1531,566—T0.1 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0T0.2 ± 0.01, 2
trans-Pinocamphone1,159 —4.3 ± 0.9—TT0.3 ± 0.0TT1, 2
Borneol1,1671,719——6.3 ± 0.92.0 ± 0.50.3 ± 0.07.6 ± 0.40.2 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.01, 2, 3
Terpinen-4-ol1,1761,611—T0.2 ± 0.00.4 ± 0.10.4 ± 0.00.5 ± 0.0T0.2 ± 0.01, 2, 3
Dihydrocarveol1,177 ——0.4 ± 0.00.8 ± 0.1—0.2 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.0—1, 2
p-Cymen-8-ol1,1851,864——0.3 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0TT1, 2
-Terpineol1,1891,706TT0.4 ± 0.00.7 ± 0.1T0.3 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.11, 2, 3
Myrtenal1,1931,648—0.1 ± 0.00.4 ± 0.10.7 ± 0.1—0.2 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.0—1, 2
Estragole1,1951,670—65.0 ± 0.9—0.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0T——1, 2, 3
Myrtenol1,1961,804——0.4 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.1—0.2 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.0—1, 2
Isobornyl formate1,228 ———————45.4 ± 0.91, 2
Linalyl acetate1,2481,565——44.4 ± 0.73.3 ± 0.60.1 ± 0.01.5 ± 0.2——1, 2, 3
Geraniol1,2551,857——9.3 ± 0.30.6 ± 0.1—0.3 ± 0.0——1, 2
cis-Anethole1,262 97.1 ± 0.4T—---———0.2 ± 0.01, 2
(E)-Citral1,2701,727———————44.5 ± 0.91, 2, 3
Isobornyl acetate1,277 —0.1 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.00.6 ± 0.1T0.7 ± 0.0TT1, 2
Bornyl acetate1,2841,591—0.1 ± 0.00.2 ± 0.01.2 ± 0.5T0.9 ± 0.0TT1, 2
Thymol1,2902,198———0.7 ± 0.10.7 ± 0.0 T8.7 ± 0.9—1, 2, 3
Carvacrol1,2972,239———4.1 ± 0.944.0 ± 0.90.3 ± 0.024.4 ± 0.9—1, 2, 3
Terpinyl acetate1,333 ———0.5 ± 0.0————1, 2
-Copaene1,3771,497—TT0.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0TT0.2 ± 0.11, 2
Geranyl acetate1,3791,765————————1, 2
Isoledene1,382 —TTT0.1 ± 0.0TT0.1 ± 0.01, 2
-Caryophyllene1,4181,612T0.1 ± 0.01.0 ± 0.90.3 ± 0.10.2 ± 0.11.3 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.11, 2
-Cedrene1,4241,638——1.3 ± 0.10.5 ± 0.10.6 ± 0.01.0 ± 0.0—0.4 ± 0.11, 2
-Humulene1,4551,689—T0.6 ± 0.00.3 ± 0.10.1 ± 0.05.9 ± 0.9T0.2 ± 0.01, 2
-7-epi-Selinene1,5181,740—T—0.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.00.1 ± 0.0T0.2 ± 0.11, 2
Caryophyllene oxide1,5802,008——0.4 ± 0.0—0.2 ± 0.00.8 ± 0.0——1, 2
Total compounds  98.39897.09798.998.799.197.6 
Kovats retention index on an HP-5 MS column. Kovats retention index on an HP INNOWax column. T, trace, less than 0.05%. A dash indicates absent. 1, Kovats retention index; 2, mass spectrum; 3, coinjection with authentic compound.