Satureja sp. belonging to the Lamiaceae family, has a wide variety and distribution in
the world. In this research, essential oil content and components, phenol and antioxidant
potential of five native Satureja species of Iran, including Satureja bachtiarica Bunge
Bunge, S. sahendica Bornm., Satureja spicigera (K.Koch) Boiss., S. macrantha
C.A.Mey. and S. mutica Fisch & C.A.Mey. were evaluated in the same conditions. The
experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three
replications. The highest and the lowest essential oil content were obtained from S.
mutica (2.05%) and S. sahendica (0.96%), respectively. Thymol was identified as the
dominant component of essential oil in S. spicigera and S. macrantha, but in the other
species, carvacrol was the dominant constituent in essential oil. In S. sahendica,
monoterpene hydrocarbons, but in the other species, oxygenated monoterpenes were as
the major constituents of the essential oil. Total phenols of the studied species were not
significantly different, but the antioxidant potential of their extracts was significantly
different. Cluster analysis based on phytochemical properties, divided the species to two
groups: S. spicigera and S. macrantha in one group and the other species in a separate
group. Results showed considerable phytochemical diversity among species and
therefore the superior species will vary depending on the desired phytochemical
properties.