The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of Stachys ocymastrum L. Briq. (Lamiaceae) growing in Sicily (Italy)

The genus Stachys L. (Lamiaceae) comprises more than 300 species as annual or perennial herbs or small shrubs, spread in temperate regions of Mediterranean, Asia, America, and Southern Africa. Several species have been used in the traditional medicine to treat stress, skin inflammations, gastrointestinal disorders, asthma, and genital tumours. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Stachys ocymastrum L. Briq., belonging to section Olisia, endemic of the Western Mediterranean and Greece and collected in Sicily, was analysed by GC-MS. No one report has been previously published on any European accession of this species. The result showed the presence of large quantity of the diterpenoid phytol (23.80%). Other metabolites present in high quantity were β-caryophyllene (17.95%), geranyl-α-terpinene (13.26%) and trans-chrysanthenyl acetate (9.85%). Chemical considerations with respect all the other oils of Stachys taxa, belonging to section Olisia studied so far, were carried out.