Composition of the Essential Oils of Junipers (Juniperus foetidissima and J-oblonga) from Arasbaran Protected Area

Arasbaran Protected area is the 9th Biosphere Reserved in Iran which can be considered a gene center for many plant species. The essential oils of fruits (seed cones) of Juniperus foetidissima and J. oblonga trees from Arasbaran, Iran, obtained by steam extraction were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. For J. oblonga, twenty six compounds were identified which account for 86.54 % of the oil. The primary constituents were -pinene (22.04 %), sabinene (11.92 %), and -cadinol (6.15 %). For J. foetidissima, eighteen compounds were identified, which account for 97.05 % of the oil. The primary constituents were limonene (22.29 %), -thujone (13.46 %), -thujone (22.32 %), and terpinene-4-ol (15.4 %). The last three compounds that account for 51.17 % of the total oil are classified as toxic. Comparing two studied species, this result shows the oil of J. foetidissima should be regarded as potentially hazardous.