Caspian Russian sage, (Salvia abrotanoides (Kar.) Sytsma), is a valuable medicinal plant (Lamiaceae) that has been reported for biological properties like antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activities. In the present study, essential oil (EO) diversity in three wild populations of S. abrotanoides from Khorasan Razavi province (Kalat, Dargaz and Torogh) was investigated. EO composition was analyzed by GC/MS, and clustering was performed by UPGMA method. In total, 35 different compounds, which accounted for 96.65-98.43% of the oil composition, were identified. Oxygenated monoterpens were the major contribution of EO. The highest amount of oxygenated monoterpens was found in the leaves and flowers of Dargaz and Kalat populations, respectively. Four main constituents in the leaf EOs of all populations included 1,8-cineole (22.75-33.3%), camphor (14-27.11%), δ-3-carene (4.56-15.95%) and borneol (3.59-9.66%). Camphor and 1,8-cineole made up about 25% of the leaf EOs of Kalat and Dargaz populations. Ocimene and linalyl acetate (<0.5%) were identified in the leaf EOs of Kalat and Torogh, but were not observed in Dargaz population. α-Eudesmol (<0.1%) was only recognized in the leaves of Dargaz and Torogh populations. The concentration of α-terpinenyl acetate in the leaves of Torogh and Kalat populations was 9.15- and 6.65-fold of the value measured for Dargaz population, respectively. 1,8-cineole (23.13-24.68%), camphor (6.16-18.77%) and α-pinene (15.47-17.57%) were determined as the major constituents in the EO of flowers. The presence of p-cymene (<0.5%) in the flower was restricted to the Dargaz and Torogh populations. The amount of α-bisabolol in the flowers of Dargaz population was 6.04- and 3.02-fold of those obtained for Torogh and Kalat populations, respectively. Leaves and flowers were different in their EO components. These populations were distinctive based on the EO profile. Dargaz and Kalat populations, which clustered in a separate group, were phytochemically different from Torogh population, based on the leaf EO constituents.

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