COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF Thymus afghanicus

摘要

Plants of the genus Thymus L.(Lamiaceae) are strongly aromatic herbs and dwarf shrubs,mostly distributed in Asia and Europe. From the Himalayan-Afghanistan area,Thymus linearis and T afghanicus Ronniger have been recognized [1 ]. Medicinally,Thymus extract is used to cure stomach pain and gastric trouble [2],and extracts and essential oils of Thymus species exhibit antimicrobial [3],spasmolytic [4],and antioxidant [5] activities. Its oil is used in cough drops,mouthwashes,liniments,toothpastes,detergents,and perfumes [6],A literature review reveals that the genus Thymus is a source of essential oils,having a variety of major constituents in diverse species. trans-Nerolidol [7],camphor [8],thymol [3,9],γ-terpinene,p-cymene,borneol [10],and carvacrol [11] are the principal constituents reported from various Thymus species. Seasonal variation and harvesting time also affect the yield and composition of essential oil of the Thymus species [12]. Thymus afghanicus,locally known as spairkai,was collected in the flowering season,in the month of June from Kharkey Valley of Kunhar,Afghanistan,and a voucher specimen(SHPC-023) has been deposited at the herbarium.