Composition of the essential oil of Mentha microphylla from the Gennargentu Mountains (Sardinia,Italy)

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the fresh aerial parts of Mentha microphylla C. Kock (Lamiaceae) collected on the Gennargentu Mountains (Sardinia, Italy) has been investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS). The main constituents that resulted were pulegone (34.1%), piperitenone oxide (32.9%), and piperitenone (11.3%). The presence of small amounts of compounds such as ethyl hexanoate, 1-octen-3-ol, nonanal, and ethyl 2-methylbutanoate could justify the particular odorous profile of the plant, resembling the aroma of milk and other dairy products such as mozzarella.