abstract the volatile constituents of the aerial parts of nepeta elymatica bornm. growing wild in iran were examined by gc/fid and gc/ms. altogether, 21 compounds were identified. the oil of n. elymatica consisted mainly of 4a,7a,7a-nepetalactone (35.6%), 1,8-cineole (29.7%), -pinene (5.5%), terpinen-4-ol (5.8%), -terpineol (3.1%), -terpinene (2.3%), -caryophyllene (1.8%) and -terpinene (1.4%).