Essential oil of wild growing Mentha pulegium L. from Yugoslavia

Abstract

The essential oil of Mentha pulegium L., Lamiaceae was obtained by steam distillation of the herb, collected during the period of full flowering, when 0.2% was gained. The analysis of its chemical composition was performed using GC and GC/MS. Twenty-two components (89.9% of the total oil) were identified. The principal one was menthone (30.9%), while the other important were pulegone (14.1%) and neomenthol (13.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (9.0%).