Chemical composition of Satureja hortensis L. essential oils depending on ontogenetic stage and season

The essential oil isolated from the air-dried leaf/flower fraction of Satureja hortensis L. (family: Lamiaceae) grown in Quedlinburg, Germany, was analysed by GC/FID. Plants were cultivated in summer as well as in autumn. Twelve components were identified, independent of season, among which carvacrol was the main component with a range of 55.3–59.5% in the summer and 55.5–57.9% in the autumn, respectively. γ−Terpinene varied between 30.1–33.8% in the summer and 32.1–33.5% in the autumn. From the other compounds detected, α−terpinene (2.9–3.3%) and pcymene (2.3-3.8%) occurred in notable quantity. With the increase of γ−terpinene in summer cultivation, a decrease of carvacrol was observed.