Altitude-Dependent Variation in Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Origanum acutidens (Hand-Mazz.) Ietswaart

Altitude significantly influences the yield and composition of essential oils in medicinal plants, with Origanum acutidens (Hand-Mazz.) Ietswaart, an endemic species in Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye, showing noticeable variations. Known for its traditional medicinal uses and aromatic qualities, this species was studied at three different altitudes (1150, 1650, and 2150 m) in the Eastern Black Sea Region. The results showed that essential oil yield increased with altitude, with yields at 0.75%, 0.86%, and 1.03% at each altitude, respectively. Key components of the oil, carvacrol and p-cymene, also varied with altitude. Carvacrol content increased significantly from 38.30% to 58.76% as altitude increased, while p-cymene content decreased from 35.47% to 17.12%. These results suggest that higher altitudes, which provide conditions like lower temperature, reduced air pressure, and higher UV exposure, stimulate secondary metabolite production in O. acutidens. It is recommended that further research be conducted to explore this plant’s chemical diversity across varied topography and climate conditions.