Analysis of the Volatile Constituents of Alpinia pinnanensis

Abstract

The chemical compositions of volatiles from Alpinia pinnanensis T. L. Wu & Senjen (Zingiberaceae) are being studied. The essential oils that were obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC (FID) and GC-MS. The components were identified by MS libraries and their LRIs. The essential oils content varied between 0.11% and 0.41% (v/w), calculated on a dry weight basis. Monoterpenes (21.0 - 60.7%) and sesquiterpenes (16.3 - 74.4%) are the main oil fractions. The leaf of A. pinnanensis afforded oil whose major compounds were 1,8-cineole (20.5%), 4-phenyl-2-butanol (19.5%) and α-phellandrene (10.8%) while the stem bark comprised mainly of 1,8-cineole (10.0%), β-elemene (8.7%), α-gurjunene (7.6%), β-pinene (7.3%) and (E,E)-farnesol (7.2%). On the other hand, (E,E)-farnesol (8.4%), α-gurjunene (6.2%), camphene (5.6%) and fenchyl acetate (5.4%) were the most abundant constituent of the root bark oil. However, α-cadinol (18.1%) and β-caryophyllene (11.4%), along with (E, E)-farnesol (6.3%) and β-pinene (6.1%) were the main constituents of the fruit oil. A comparative analysis of the compositional patterns of essential oils of A. pinnanensis with other Alpinia species grown in Vietnam revealed a marked variation in their chemical constituents.