Identification of constituents in essential oils of two Nepeta species in field and habitat

The genus Nepeta of the Lamiaceae family includes valuable medicinal species that is widely used in medicines and food industries. So far, 79 species of this genus have been reported in Iran. The purpose of this study was to compare and determine the chemical composition of the essential oil of two species Nepeta cephalotes Boiss, Nepeta crassifolia Boiss. & Buhse in terms of habitats and farm. These valuable species are both scattered throughout Iran. The aerial parts were collected from the Firoozkooh habitats in Tehran province and from the field at the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands in 1395, and were extracted by Clevenger method. Gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatographs equipped mass spectrometers (GC/MS) were used to identify the essential oils. The results showed that in the N. crassifolia, the Nepetalactone compound (4a α, 7α, 7α-α)-is 75.5% and 35.4% in farm and natural habitat respectively. This composition is in the Nepeta cephalotes Boiss species in 72% of field and 63% in the habitat. Neptalactones are one of the most important secondary metabolites of various species in the genus Nepeta, and are the agent of medicinal properties in these plants. Obtained results show that in both species there is Neptalactone compound and Neptalactone composition (4a α, 7 α, 7a α) increased in field conditions.