The hydrodistilled essential oils of the aerial parts of wild-growing Salvia sclarea originated from two localities in Greece were analyzed by GC-MS. Sixty-six compounds, representing 93.26-98.19% of the oils, were identified. Linalyl acetate (19.75-31.05%), linalool (18.46-30.43%), geranyl acetate (4.45-12.1%), and alpha-terpineol (5.08-7.56%) were the main components. The antifungal activity of the oil of one locality and of the main components, linalyl acetate and linalool, was evaluated in vitro against three soil-borne pathogens.

The volatile metabolites of wild-growing Mentha spicata, M. longifolia, M. suaveolens, Melissa officinalis, Salvia fruticosa, S. pomifera subsp. calycina, and S. pomifera subsp. pomifera from Greece were determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The insecticidal properties of the analyzed essential oils were screened on Culex pipiens larvae. Additionally two of the main components of the essential oils, piperitenone oxide and 1,8-cineole were assayed against C. pipiens in order to define the affiliation between them and the larvicidal properties of the oils. The most effective oils were M. suaveolens (major constituent piperitenone oxide, 62.4%), M. spicata (piperitenone oxide, 35.7% and 1,8-cineole, 14.5%) and M. longifolia--Central Greece (piperitenone oxide, 33.4%; 1,8-cineole, 24.5% and trans-piperitone epoxide, 17.4%), which exhibited LC(50) values ranging from 47.88 to 59.33 mg l(-1). Medium activity revealed the oils of M. officinalis (terpin-4-ol, 15.8%; caryophyllene oxide, 13.2%; sabinene, 12.9%; beta-pinene, 12.1%; and trans-caryophyllene, 10.2%), M. longifolia--Southern Greece (carvone, 54.7% and limonene 20.0%), S. pomifera subsp. pomifera (trans-caryophyllene, 22.5% and trans-thujone, 21.0%), S. pomifera subsp. calycina--West Southern Greece (trans-thujone, 56.1% and 1,8-cineole, 10.4%), and S. fruticosa--population 2 (camphor, 23.1%; alpha-pinene, 12.7%; and borneol, 12.6%), with LC(50) values ranging from 78.28 to 91.45 mg l(-1). S. pomifera subsp. calycina (Central Greece) essential oil (trans-thujone, 26.5% and cis-thujone, 12.0%) presented rather low activity (LC(50) values 140.42 mg l(-1)), while S. fruticosa--population 1 (1,8-cineole, 31.4% and camphor, 22.6%) was the only inactive oil. Additionally, the constituent piperitenone oxide was found to be highly active (LC(50) values 9.95 mg l(-1)), whereas 1,8-cineole revealed no toxicity.

The volatile metabolites of Salvia fruticosa plants, growing wild in 15 localities scattered across Greece, were analyzed by means of GC and GC-MS. The essential oil content ranged from 0.69 to 4.68%, and the results of the analyses showed a noticeable variation in the amounts of the five main components [1,8-cineole, alpha-thujone, beta-thujone, camphor, and (E)-caryophyllene]. The antifungal activities of the essential oils from two localities, belonging in two different groups of cluster and principal component analysis, and their main components (1,8-cineole and camphor) were evaluated in vitro against five phytopathogenic fungi. Both oils were slightly effective against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi and Fusarium proliferatum, whereas against Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Fusarium solani f. sp. cucurbitae the oils exhibited high antifungal activities.

The essential oils of Salvia ringens (samples A and B), were analyzed by means of GC and GC/MS. From the seventy-five identified constituents representing 99.82 and 99.86% of the oils, 1,8-cineole and alpha-pinene were the major components. Furthermore, sample B exhibited a very interesting antimicrobial profile after it was tested against six gram (+/-) bacteria and three pathogenic fungi.