A Comparative Study of Beta-thujone Amount in Artemisia absinthium of Ardabil Plain with Some Other Species.

Artemisia absinthium belongs to Astraceae, which was widely used in traditional medicine. Plant materials was collected at flowering stage from Ardabil plain, Iran and identified in Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands, Ardabil, Iran. The composition of the essential oil of warmwood specimen has been investigated. Air-dried aerial parts were subjected to hydro distillation for 5h using a Clevenger apparatus to produce oil in 1.16% yield [1]. Altogether 25 compounds were identified and 7 unknown compounds detected. The relative percentage of the oil constituents was calculated from GC peak area [2]. The constituents were identified by comparison of their mass spectra with those in computer library. The warmwood oil from Ardabil plain consisted mainly of beta-thujone(51.82%). When it is compared with various species from Lahijan, Rostamabad, Roodbar and Golestan forest; the amount found in warmwood of Ardabil plain is strikingly of high percentage [3].