Summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.) essential oil constituent oscillation at different storage conditions

Storage situation had important role in active substances quantity and quality of medicinal and aromatic plants. A little research was focused in secondary metabolite changes after extraction. In this research, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications was conducted. Treatments were three levels of storage temperature including room temperature (21 ± 2 °C), refrigerator temperature (4 °C) and freezer temperature (-20 °C) and three levels of storage time (T1: no storage, T2: three months storage, T3: six months storage). Essential oils after extraction by hydro-distillation method were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that, in each of the three storage temperatures, some compounds such as α-Thujene, β-Pinene, α-Phlandrene, α-Pinene, α-Terpinene, Myrcene and along with γ-Terpinene as Carvacrol precursors were decreased. However, Carvacrol content increased after 6 months, significantly. Also the amount of ρ-Cymene, β-Phellandrene were increased. The major constituent of the S. hortensis essential oil such as Carvacrol was increased in all three storage temperatures, so that the highest and the lowest increasing occurred at freezer and room temperatures, respectively. Storage of Summer savory essential oil in the freezer enhanced the quality.