Characterization of Essential Oil from aSatureja montanaL. Chemotype Grown in Northern Italy

Abstract
Satureja montana L. grown in Italy has been characterized on the basis of its essential oil composition. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of steam distilled oil were performed by GC and GC/MS. Forty-four compounds were identified (30 monoterpenes and 14 sesquiterpenes). Over two consecutive seasons, oil produced was found to contain carvacrol (26.38–41.23%), γ-terpinene (1.40–6.16%) and p-cymene (11.00–16.32%) as main constituents. Environmental parameters such as precipitation and temperature were found to have an effect on the oil yield and composition of the oil produced.