Analysis of bioactive compounds present in Kaempferia galanga rhizome collected from different regions of East Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Kaempferia galanga, also known as kencur in Indonesia, is a medical plant that is traditionally used in various human diseases therapy. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) is an essential bioactive compound in kencur that plays a role in the management of diseases. Kencur is widely spread in East Java. Thus this study aims to identify and analyze the bioactive compounds in kencur rhizome from a different region in East Java. This study was conducted from June 2020 until November 2020. The samples were collected from 12 regencies in East Java, including Banyuwangi, Blitar, Gresik, Kediri, Lumajang, Madura, Malang, Mojokerto, Nganjuk, Pacitan, Ponorogo, and Trenggalek. A sample from Wonogiri (Central Java) was used as a comparison because its cultivation procedure has been standardized. The altitude of sample accessions location was 15-995 masl (m above sea levels) with the rain intensity of 500-2000 mm3. Based on soil analysis, Banyuwangi had good soil characteristics with high total nitrogen, available P2O5, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and organic carbon. The bioactive compounds were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that all the samples contain three major compounds: EPMC, pentadecane, and (Z)-ethyl cinnamate. The highest content of EPMC was obtained in Wonogiri (79.8%), followed by Malang (78.28%), Blitar (77.23%), and Trenggalek (73.33%). It can be concluded that the kencur samples from Malang, Blitar, and Trenggalek have a high content of EPMC, thus could become the source of kencur used in further medicinal research.