Comparative study of the essential oils and extracts of Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk.) Sch. Bip. and Achillea santolina L. (Asteraceae) from Egypt.

Essential oils obtained by steam distillation from the aerial parts of Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk.) Sch. Bip. and the flower, leaf and stem of A. santolina L. as well as their lipophilic constituents obtained by solvent extraction were analysed using GLC and GLC-mass spectrometry. Nineteen constituents in the essential oil of A. fragrantissima were identified, in addition to 41 compounds from its n-hexane-ether extract. The hydrodistilled oil and the solvent extract contain santolina alcohol, artemisia alcohol, artemisia ketone, cis-thujone and trans-thujone as major constituents. In A. santolina altogether 54 volatile components were detected. The major components were 1,8-cineole, fragranol, fragranyl acetate and terpin-4-ol. Furthermore, the essential oils and the n-hexane-ether extracts of the two plants were screened for their antimicrobial activity.