Proof of geographical origin of Albanian sage by essential oil analysis

Salvia officinalis L. and the closely related Salvia fruticosa Mill. (Lamiaceae) are amongst the economically most important medicinal and aromatic plants. Both species are rich in essential oil, which can vary significantly and is partly responsible for their bioactivity and sensorial properties. Therefore we studied its variability within Albania, one of the main exporters of both species. In S. officinalis a clear geographical gradient could be observed from North to South, based mainly on a trade-off between the thujones (α- and β-thujone) and camphor. The differences between the provinces were so pronounced that the essential oil profile could be used to identify the origin of unknown samples from within Albania to a high degree of certainty. The variability within S. fruticosa was not as pronounced due to its restricted distribution to coastal regions in the South-West only. No hybrids between the two species could be found in the overlapping distribution areas.