Abstract
The essential oil of a wild mint, a strain of Mentha gentilis L., containing (+)-piperitone as a major component was investigated. The variation of the content of the following constituents in the oils harvested in the different seasons (July, August, October and November) was also examined: piperitenone (17.1, 14.5, 1.9 and 0.3%), (+)-piperitone (13.4, 13.2, 22.1 and 22.6%), (+)-pulegone (30.5, 30.0, 3.9 and 1.0%), (-)-menthone (14.5, 17.3, 21.5 and 9.7%), (-)-menthol (5.3, 5.1, 17.6 and 20.3%), (-)-menthyl acetate (2.2, 2.4, 11.8 and 21.8%) and (+)-1, 2-epoxyneomenthyl acetate (1.5, 1.3, 6.9 and 14.2%). The content of piperitone in the plant harvested in October and November was found to accumulate in contrast with piperitenone and pulegone.
