Volatile oil composition and Antimicrobial activity of Curcuma oligantha var. Lutea rhizomes

Abstract

Hydrodistilled volatile oil obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma oligantha Trimen var. lutea (Zingiberaceae) was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The volatile oil was composed mainly of cinnamyl cinnamate (48.9%), n-hexanal (14.0%) and n-octadecane (10.1%). Among the ten monoterpenes (7.1%) present in the oil, the prominent one was β-pinene (2.8%) followed by a-pinene (1.6%) and terpinen-4-ol (1.6%). The oil contained sixteen sesquiterpenes (9.7%) comprising mainly ar-turmerone (3.0%), cadinol (1.3%), eudesmol (1.2%) and bisabolol oxide (1.1%). The predominant constituents were the aromatic esters (54.4%) including cinnamyl cinnamate (48.9%) and benzyl benzoate (2.9%). The important aliphatic constituents were characterized as n-hexanal (14.0%), n-octadecane (10.1%) and isoamyl pyruvate (1.9%). About 25 components occurred in trace amounts in the oil. The volatile oil and ethanolic extract of the rhizomes showed significant antimicrobial activity.