Chemical composition, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities of turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric essential oils that growing in Indonesia

Abstract

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), javanese ginger (Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb.), and pale turmeric (Curcuma heyneana Val. & v. Zijp) are medicinal plants that belongs to the family Zingiberaceae whose rhizomes contain essential oils and often consumed as traditional medicines based on empirical experiences and hereditary beliefs. This study aimed to determine the chemical components and antibacterial and antioxidative activities of the essential oils of turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric cultivated in Karanganyar, Central Java, Indonesia. α-Chamigrene (24.92%), zingiberene (29.53%), and 2-pinene-4-one (12.08%) were the largest components found in turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric, respectively. All the curcumas contain 1,8-cineol with concentrations of 3.32, 1.33, and 7.34% and α-pinene with concentrations of 0.48, 0.61, and 1.31% for turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric essential oils, respectively. The inhibition zones of turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 were 10.16 (strong), 7.98 (moderate), and 11.59 mm (strong), respectively. Only the essential oil from pale turmeric showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 with an inhibition zone of 6.74 mm (moderate). The antioxidative activities (IC50) of turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric essential oils were 66.08 ppm (strong), 82.76 ppm (strong), and 50.23 ppm (strong), respectively. In the fields of medicines, cosmetics, and foods, turmeric, javanese ginger, and pale turmeric rhizomes essential oils can be used as natural antioxidants and antibacterials against S. aureus ATCC 25923.