Comparative chemical analysis of Origanum majorana essential oils from Serbia and Egypt

The chemical composition of commercial marjoram (Origanum majorana) essential oils sourced from Serbia and Egypt was investigated using GC and GC-MS. The major volatile compounds in both oils were terpinen-4-ol and ?-terpinene, constituting over a third of the oils based on GC peak areas. However, there were significant differences between the two oils in terms of their cis- and trans-sabinene hydrate content, which are commercially important monoterpenes. The Egyptian oil contained 12.1% trans-sabinene hydrate and 3.5% cis-sabinene hydrate, while the Serbian oil contained a total of 7.3% cis- and trans-sabinene hydrates in a 1:1.7 ratio.