Comparison of the Bioactive Volatile Components of Plants Known as Marshmallow Flower from the Malvaceae Family

Malvaceae family commonly seen in tropical and milder regions is perennial plants growing around the regions from Mediterranean to Southwest Asia. In the western Mediterranean basin (Malva, Lavatera Althaea) and the Middle East (Alcea), the genus are the main centers. In this study, volatile components of Althaea hirsuta L., Alcea apterocarpa, and Lavantera punctata All. plants were analyzed by GS-MS analysis. Althaea hirsuta L. contains 9 volatile components with 6 of them having bioactive properties. Alcea apterocarpa plant contains 26 volatile components with 20 of them having bioactive properties. Lavanttera punctata All plant contains eleven volatile components with four of them having bioactive properties. All of these three types of marshmallow have only one volatile component which is 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. This study revealed the chemical components of these plants having pharmacological, bioactive and drug properties.