Composizione degli olii essenziali di Thymus longicaulis C. Presl in varie località dell'Italia centrale

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Abstract
The essential oils of Thymus longicaulis C. Presl in different localities of Central Italy. The volatile constituents of essential oils of Thymus longicaulis var. longicaulis and T. longicaulis var. subisophyllus coming from different localities of Central Italy have been analysed. Gas chromatography has been used for the identifications of the volatile components of the essential oil obtained by steam distillation. The essential oil yield increases with the altitude, reaches the maximum value around the 900 metres above sea-level and then decreases at higher levels. The essential oils are constituted mainly of alicyclic compounds (terpenes and bicyclic camphors), aromatic compounds (thymol, carvacrol and p-cymene) and of aciclic compounds of alcoholic nature (linalool, geraniol). On the whole twenty four components have been identified. Between the two varieties some differences exist in the chemical composition of the essential oils. While thymol and carvacrol are present in both varieties, var. subisophyllus is more plentiful in bicyclic compounds as α-pinene, β-pinene, camphene, bornyl acetate and β-cariophyllene.