Essential oils from Bolivia. xiv. Lamiaceae: Clinopodium axillare

Abstract

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from two subspecies of Clinopodium axillare growing wild in the High Valley Region of Bolivia, Province of Cochabamba, was determined by a combination of GC and GC/MS measurements. It is dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes. Piperitenone oxide (20-30 %), piperitone epoxide (15-19 %), piperitenone (13 %), pulegone (3-5 %) and piperitone (4-5 %) as well as limonene (8-12 %) and -pinene (1-5 %) are the major constituents. These results, in conjunction with a recent description of the genus Clinopodium, provide a better understanding of the classification of this plant.