The aim of the study was to investigate volatile compounds from the aerial parts of Viola canina L. of the family Violaceae grown wild in Northern Kazakhstan for the first time. Viola canina is a common and widespread species of the temperate northern hemisphere. The oil from the aerial parts of V. canina, was obtained by hydrodistillation and investigated by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The main component of V. canina essential oil was phytol (55.2%). The obtained results showed differences in the composition of already studied Viola essential oils, such as essential oil of V. odorata L., V. etrusca Erben, V. tricolor L., V. arvensis Murr., V. tianshanica Maxim., V. serpens Wall. and V. hamiltoniana D. Don. There is a certain similarity with the composition of the essential oil of V. arvensis where phytol was also found as one of the main component (11.4%).
Keywords: Viola canina L.; essential oil; phytol.