abstract samples of essential oils from leaves of mikania hirsutissima dc, m. involucrata hook, et am. and m. laevigata shultz bip. ex baker were analyzed by a combination of capillary gas chromatography and gc/ms. forty one components have been identified representing 70-95% of the oils content. the oils of m. involucrata and m. laevigata are quite similar and constituted by sesquiterpenes, represented mainly by -caryophyllene (18.9% and 20.9%), germacrene d (9.9% and 29.8%) and bicyclogermacrene (28.1% and 13.4%). the oil of m. hirsutissima is also characterized by sesquiterpenes, and the major components are ar-curcumene (15.0%) and spathulenol (10.2%), and a small fraction (6.5%) of aliphatic compounds.