Essential oil composition of Pimpinella eriocarpa Banks & Soland from Iran

One of the most important aromatic plants is Pimpinella anisum. The genus Pimpinella contains 23 species that are found wild in different regions of Iran. Pimpinella eriocarpa is distributed in south and west of Iran. In this research, the oil composition of P. eriocarpa was studied. Essential oils were isolated by hydro-distillation from the arial parts and seeds of Pimpinella eriocarpa individually, that were collected from Khojir (Northeast of Tehran province). The yields of arial parts and seed oils were 1.3% and 5.7% w/w, respectively. Fifteen constituents in the arial parts oil and eight constituents in seed oil were identified. Major constituents of the arial parts oil were pregeijerene (59.9%), limonene (17.6%) and elemicine (12.5%). Major constituents of the seed oil were Limonene (49.3%) and Elemicine (44.5%). The oil composition of P. eriocarpa seeds and arial parts were investigated for the first time. Tow major compounds (Limonene and Elemicine) were common in both oils. Seven trace constituents of arial parts oil not found in seed oil at all.