Essential oils from Dalmatian sage (Salvia officinalis L.): Variations among individuals, plant parts, seasons, and sites

The factors affecting oil yield and quality of essential oils from Dalmatia n sage (Salvia officinalis L.) are analyzed. Distillations of oils from ind ividual plants and GC analyses revealed the presence of three chemotypes wi th different proportions of alpha- and beta-thujone (alpha/beta 10:1, 1.5:1 , and 1:10). Different accessions could also be classified as having high ( 39-44%), medium (22-28%), or low (9%) total thujone contents. Flowering par ts of S. officinalis had higher oil contents (1.6 versus 1.1%) and beta-pin ene levels (27 versus 10%) than leaves and lower thujone levels (16 versus 31%). Major seasonal changes were found in the composition of oil distilled from a flowering type of Dalmatian sage, but oil yields from healthy, esta blished plants did not vary greatly. Total thujone levels were lowest (25%) around flowering in spring and summer, so autumn or winter was the best ha rvest time to obtain oils with high thujone levels.