ESSENTIAL OIL ANALYSIS OF THE „MICROMERIA JULIANA“ (L.) BENTH., FROM LUŠTICA, MONTENEGRO

Abstract

Micromeria (Bentham, 1829.) is a polymorph genus of Lamiaceae with about 130 species grouped in three sections: Cymularia, Eumicromeria and Pseudomelissa, the most diverse in Mediterranean regions, but widespread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America [1]. Up to now, eight Micromeria species have been recorded inhabiting the territory of Montenegro including a dwarf shrub, Micromeria juliana (L.) Benth. Knowing the existence of the variability in quantity and qualitative makeup, interpopulational, and the interspecies variability of the up to now reported essential oils from this plant prompted us to make the detailed analysis of the M. juliana specimens originating from rocky, sunny carbonate rock bases in Zabrđe, Montenegro, since the plant material from this area was not examined before. Detailed GC-MS analysis of the obtained essential oil resulted in 70 identified components among which α-pinene (12.2%), (E)-nerolidol (8.9%), viridiflorol (6.8%), limonene (6.1%), and borneol (5.2%) prevailed, differing significantly in content from the previously reported populations (Morača canyon, Cijevna canyon, Mt. Orjen and Mt. Krivošije) [2]. The objective of this study is to gain insight into the essential oil structure, determine the possible mutual similarity and the variability in their chemical compositions, and to enclose possible diversity in the secondary metabolite profile dependent on the site of collection.