Volatile constituents of callus and flower-bearing tops of Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Lamiaceae)

Green callus of Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Lamiaceae) was induced from seedlings. The detailed volatile composition of callus and of Rower-bearing tops used in the callus induction was investigated by GC and GC-MS spectrometry. Callus volatile constituents consisted of monoterpenoids (25.59% monoterpene hydrocarbons and 70.99% oxygenated monoterpenes). while volatile oil of the flowering tops consisted mainly of monoterpenoids (20.95% monoterpene hydrocarbons and 73.07% oxygenated monoterpenes) and 4.62% sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The typical components for the two volatile oils were p-cymene (4.85% and 5.43%),;gamma -terpinene ( 19.95% and 7.74%), thymol (34.91% and 32.35%) and carvacrol (5.06% and 25.95%). Furthermore, thymol acetate (22.60%) and carvacrol acetate (5.95%) were found mainly in the former and linalol (6.77%) was found merely in the latter. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.