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Abstract
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Phenological stages and harvest time play pivotal roles in influencing the secondary
metabolites and biological activities of medicinal plants. Ziziphora clinopodioides
(Kakuti), a renowned aromatic and culinary herb, holds significance in Iranian folk
medicine for its digestive and fever-healing properties. Analysis of Kakuti essential oil
composition revealed oxygenated monoterpenoids, notably pulegone, known for their
antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties [1]. Plants in various phenological
stages have diverse compositions; therefore, determining the best harvest time is of
particular importance [2]. In the present experiment, Kakuti plant were harvested in
different phenological stages, including vegetative, full flowering, end of flowering and
seed set stages. The essential oil was extracted using Clevenger apparatus and analyzed
using GC and GC/MS. Results showed the highest pulegone content during full
flowering (75.44 %), significantly differing from other stages, while the lowest was post-
flowering (seed set) (42.03 %). These findings serve as valuable guidance for growers
aiming to maximize metabolite yield, benefiting food and pharmaceutical industries
alike.
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