COMPARISON OF VOLATILE COMPOUND COMPOSITION OF CINNAMON (CINNAMOMUM CASSIA PRESL) BARK PREPARED BY HYDRODISTILLATION AND HEADSPACE SOLID PHASE MICROEXTRACTION

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cinnamon is an important herbal medicine with good effects of health promotion and disease prevention. In this work, the volatile compounds of cinnamon bark were extracted by hydrodistillation and solid phase microextraction techniques. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify the volatile compound composition. The results indicated that trans‐cinnamaldehyde was the major component with the highest area percentage of 68.67% in the volatile oils extracted by hydrodistillation. The next were glycerol 1‐methyl ether and o‐methoxycinnamaldehyde with area percentages of 23.29 and 1.44%, respectively. The number of alkenes, alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, amines, carboxylic acids, ethers, esters and ketones were 17, 1, 12, 8, 2, 2, 6, 3 and 6, respectively. The volatile compounds extracted by headspace solid phase microextraction were apparently different from those by hydrodistillation. Three major volatile compounds were 1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,8a‐octahydro‐7‐methyl‐4‐methylene‐1‐(1‐methylethyl)‐naphthalene, 1,2,3,4a,5,8,8a‐hexahydro‐4,7‐methyl‐1‐methylene‐1‐(1‐methylethyl)‐naphthalene and copaene with area percentages of 20.18%, 17.21% and 16.51%, respectively. Alkenes (31), alcohols (10), aldehydes (4), carboxylic acids (2) and ethers (3) were found in this assay. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSCinnamon bark has been taken as an important traditional herbal medicine due to its disease prevention effect. The volatile compounds of cinnamon bark contribute much to its bioactivities. In this work, the volatile oils were extracted by hydrodistillation technique. Head space solid phase microextraction technique was also used to detect the volatile compounds. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis showed the significant difference of volatile compound composition between two extractions. trans‐Cinnamaldehyde was confirmed to be the major component of volatile oils that has good pharmacological properties. This work is helpful for extensive development of this medicinal herb.