Evaluation of essential oil quality of lemon balm (Melissa officinalisL.) grown in two locations of northern India

The essential oil composition of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) produced in two ecological conditions were evaluated using gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC–FID) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Thirty-three constituents, representing 91.4 ± 1.56% to 98.1 ± 0.60% of the total oil compositions, were identified. The major constituents of the essential oil were geranial (42.3 ± 1.77% to 44.9 ± 3.23%), neral (30.7 ± 1.11% to 32.6 ± 3.57%), (E)-caryophyllene (2.8 ± 1.00% to 3.5 ± 1.27%), geranyl acetate (0.7 ± 0.49% to 3.3 ± 0.15%), geraniol (0.9 ± 0.93% to 2.6 ± 0.35%), piperitone (0.6 ± 0.96% to 2.5 ± 1.81%), nerol (0.8 ± 0.44% to 2.4 ± 0.23%), caryophyllene oxide (0.8 ± 0.81% to 2.3 ± 0.55%), (E)-isocitral (0.5 ± 0.06% to 2.1 ± 0.46%) and citronellal (0.4 ± 0.52% to 2.1 ± 0.06%). The examined lemon balm essential oil was considerably rich in monoterpenoid aldehyde (citral, 73.0–77.5%).