Analysis of the volatile chemical constituents of tumeric (curcuma longa linn: Zingiberaceae).

Abstract

The volatile oil constituents of turmeric were extracted through exhaustive hydro-distillation and the individual chemical components identified using a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Eleven components were identified, representing 87.2 % of the total oil composition with the tumerones comprising 80 % of the oil. It was found that ar-tumerone (33.6 %); ä-tumerone (30.0 %) and ä-tumerone (16.4 %) were the main constituents in the volatile oil extracts of turmeric while the other terpenes made up the balance.