Volatile aroma constituents of three labiatae herbs growing wild in the Karakoram-Himalaya district and their antifungal activity by vapor contact

Ethyl acetate extracts from the flowers and leaves of Perovskia abrotanoide s Karel., Nepeta juncea Benth. and Thymus linearis Benth. growing wild at 2 000-3500 m a.s.l. in the Karakoram-Himalaya district were analyzed by GC/MS . The major volatile constituents were 1,8-cineole (24.4-27.1%) and alpha - pinene (18.2-23.2%) for P. abrotanoides, and nepetalactone (71.8%) for N. j uncea. Two chemotypes of T. linearis were found in different area, a thymol /carvacrol type in the areas of Hunts and Rupal Valley, and a geraniol/gera nyl acetate t,vpe in the area of Rakaposhi Valley. Herbs and their major co nstituents of N. juncea and T. linearis showed potent antifungal activity b y vapor contact, but those of P. abrotanoides showed no significant activit y.