Hennia, AichaMiguel, Maria GraçaBrada, MoussaNemmiche, S.Figueiredo, A. Cristina2017-04-072017-04-072016-031041-2905AUT: MGM00322;http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/9575The chemical variability of the essential oils isolated from Myrtus communis L. leaves and fruits collected from the North western Algeria was evaluated along with a hydrodistillation timecourse study of the essential oil main components. M. communis essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils yields ranged between 0.28% and 0.77% (w/d.w.). Although in variable ranges the leaf (L) and the fruits (F) essential oils were characterized by the dominance of the same compounds: α-pinene (23–49% and 21–43% for L and F, respectively), 1,8-cineole (10–24% and 5-31% for L and F, respectively); limonene (11–30% and 9–35% for L and F, respectively); and linalool (2–32% and 1–7% for L and F, respectively). For the first time, Algerian linalool-rich myrtle essential oils (>30%) are described. Higher relative amounts of α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, limonene and linalool can be obtained with shorter distillation times.engjournal article