The Essential Oil Composition of <i>Verbena officinalis</i> L. Herb from Different Origins

The key objective of this study was to determine the yield and chemical composition of 9 samples of common vervain (Verbena officinalis L.) herb essential oil (EO), originating from 7 different countries and, consequently, to assess its potential for treating anxiety and depression. According to GC-MS analysis, 90 compounds were identified, 49 of which were discovered for the first time in V. officinalis EO. The plants with the highest oil content are from Greece (4.7 mL/kg) and South Carolina, USA (5.2 mL/kg). The chemical markers for the studied chemotypes of EO of V. officinalis are terpenoids o-cymene, p-cymene, L-carvone, thymol, carvacrol, α-curcumin, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, phytol, (E)-β-ionone and phenylpropene anethole. The chemotype from UK demonstrated the greatest affinity to the continuum under study, it has the highest levels of similarity - 85.2% with the chemotype from Greece, 69.4% with the chemotype from the USA, 68.2% with the chemotype from Estonia (2), 58.7% with the chemotype from Germany and 58.6% with the chemotype from Hungary. Chemotypes identified that have the potential for use in the treatment of anxiety and depression.