Chemical and physiological studies on Anise hyssop [Agastache foeniculum pursh] and hyssop [Hyssopus officinalis L] plants grown in Egypt as new spices

ABSTRACT

Two years trials were carried out to evaluate the anise hyssop [Agastachefoeniculum Pursh] and hyssop [Hyssopus officinalis L] plants as new sources ofessential oil in Egypt. Changes in growth, oil production and oilconstituents of anise hyssop and hyssop were determined during their lifecycles. The yields of fresh herb and oil of hyssop and anise hyssop reachedtheir peaks at the flowering stage of growth, July and August, respectively. The two major components of anise hyssop herb oil were methylchavicol [62.31%]and limonene [8.46%] which accounted for approximately 70.77% of the totalanise hyssop herb oil grown in Egypt, while hyssop herb oil was characterizedby high content of beta-pinene [19.60%], pinocamphone [19.20%] and camphor[16.3%]