Essential Oil Composition of Artemisia dracunculus L. (Tarragon) Growing in Kashmir - India

Two distinct chemotypes of Artemisia dracunculus were found in Kashmir. The oils from these two distinct chemotypes were analysed by GC and GC-MS. The chemical constituents of local variety were alpha-pinene (0.7%), myrecene (1.2 %), limonene (3.5 %), Z-(beta)-ocimene (12.7 %), E-(beta)-ocimene (4.6 %), alpha-terpinolene (2.7 %), 5-phenyl-1,3-Pentadiyne (5.1 %), methyl eugenol (0.7 %), capillene (60.2 %), elemicin (2.3 %), bicyclogermacrene (0.5 %), iso-elemicin (2.1 %) and germacrene-B (0.6 %). The major chemical constituents found in exotic variety are alpha-pinene (1.4 %), beta-pinene (0.3 %), myrecene (0.1 %), p-cymene (0.2 %), limonene (2.8 %), Z-(beta)-ocimene (1.6%), E-(beta)-ocimene (1.0 %), gamma-terpinene (0.3 %) linalool (1.2 %), beta-thujone (0.4 %),camphor (0.4 %), methyl chavicol (71.3 %), iso-menthol (0.1 %), bornyl acetate (0.7 %), carvacraol (7.7 %), alpha-terpinyl acetate (0.2 %), hexyl hexanoate (0.5 %), alpha-copaene (2.2 %), beta-caryophyllene (0.2 %). The chemical constituents of the volatile oil are similar to French Tarragon.