Essential oil of Algerian Saccocalyx satureoides Coss. et Durieu.

The volatile components of the aerial parts of Saccocalyx satureioides Coss et Durieu, obtained by hydrodistillation, have been analysed by GC and GC-MS. Forty-one components have been fully identified and grouped into three classes, namely monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The oxygenated monoterpenes, with 76.9%, was the most represented class, a-terpineol (32.7%), thymol (22.8%), borneol (11.6%) and carvacrol (6.9%) being the main components. p-Cymene (5.0%), camphene (2.9%), gamma-terpinene (2.8%), alpha-pinene (1.8%) and limonene (1.5%) were the more significant monoterpene hydrocarbons. The concentration of sesquiterpenes was lower than 3%.