Essential Oil Profile of an Iranian Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Essential oil of a native Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) ecotype from Iran was isolated by hydrodistillation from aerial parts and its compounds were identified by gas chromatography. GC/MS analysis was used to investigate thirty-two different essential oil components in this ecotype of which most of them were sesquiterpenes (48.91 %) and monoterpenes (31.22 %). Active components such as caryophyllene oxide, camphor, γ-muurolene, γ-eudesmol, borneol, β-eudesmol, spatulenol, germacrene D and γ-gurjunene were the major compounds in the essential oil of this Yarrow ecotype. The specialized active ingredient and the essential oil profile of Iranian Yarrow make it more valuable for medicine and industry uses.