Abstract The essential oil of Salvia aethiopis L. (Labiatae) collected from the suburb of Sari, north of Iran, in March 2001, was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by means of GC and GC/MS. Among the 28 components identified in this oil, β-caryophyllene (17.0%), α-copaene (16.3%), germacrene D (13.8%), β-cubebene (9.7%), spathulenol (8.3%), δ-cadinene (7.7%) and α-humulene (6.9%) were found to be the major constituents.