abstract water-distilled essential oils (aeollanthus suaveolens were analyzed by both gc and gc/ms. the major components identified in the oil of the dried plant (sample a) were (e)--farnesene (32.8%), linalool (31.6%), 2-decen-5-olide (15.0%) and linalyl acetate (8.5%). the main constituents found in the oil of the fresh plant (sample b) were linalool (49.3%) and (e)--farnesene (34.9%). the compounds 2-decen-5-olide and linalyl acetate were detected only in minute quantities in the fresh plant.