Chemical polymorphism of essential oils ofHyptis suaveolensfrom El Salvador

Wild growing, flowering Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (Lamiaceae) from 15 populations from El Salvador was collected and hydrodistilled. The resulting essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS. Principal component analysis of concentration data from 32 compounds showed differences of the chemical composition according to the geographic origin. In the southern area a fenchone–fenchol–chemotype was predominant, whereas in the northern regions the plants mostly accumulated 1,8-cineole. The essential oils of two collection sites from the southeast revealed high yields of α-terpinolene and sabinene. Some populations, however, showed unsteady compositions, indicating that intrapopulational chemical polymorphism occurs in Hyptis suaveolens.