Terpenoids and curcuminoids of the rhizoma of Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.

Abstract

The fresh rhizomes of Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. were investigated for terpenoids and curcuminoids. Nine sesquiterpenoids, α-curcumene (1), arturmerone (2), xanthorrhizol (3), germacrone (4), β-curcumene (6), β-sesquiphellandrene (9), curzerenone (10), α-turmerone (11) and β-turmerone (12), and three curcuminoids, curcumin (7), mono-demethoxycurcumin (8) and bis-demethoxycurcumin (13), were isolated and one monoterpenoid, camphor (5), was identified by capillary GC-MS. Four species of C. xanthorrhiza could be classified into two chemotypes by their bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid compositions. The first type contained large amounts of 2, 11 and 12 (CX I type). The second type contained large amounts of 1, 3 and 6, and none of 2, 9, 11 and 12 (CX II type). These two chemotypes, CX I type and CX II type, were compared with the two chemotypes of C. longa L., CL I type and CL II type, on their contents by capillary GC and HPLC analysis. It was found that all of them contained curcuminoids, 7, 8 and 13 and large amounts of various bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids.