Mathew Dan

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oils from the Rhizomes of Four Hedychium Species from South India

Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oils from the rhizomes of four South Indian Hedychium species, viz. H. venustum Wight, H. spicatum Ham. ex Smith var. acuminatum (Roscoe) Wall., H. coronarium Koenig and H.flavescens Carey ex Roscoe was investigated by GC and GC/MS. 1,8-Cineole was the most abundant constituent in the first three oils, present at concentrations of 45.4%, 44.3% and 48.7%, respectively. β-Pinene (43.6%) was the major constituent in the oil from H. flavescens. The percentages of sesquiterpenes were the highest in the rhizome oil of H. venustum (24.0%) followed by H. spicatum var. acuminatum (22.2%), H. flavescens (0.6%) and H. coronarium (0.5%). The antimicrobial activities of all four rhizome oils were tested by the disc diffusion method against three Gram-positive and seven Gram-negative bacteria and two fungi. The strongest activities were observed for the rhizome oil from H. flavescens, especially against Salmonella typhi (23 mm inhibition zone), Escherichia coli (18 mm), Proteus vulgaris (15 mm) and the fungi Candida albicans (13 mm) and C. glabrata (14 mm).

Chemical profiles of volatiles in four Alpinia species from Kerala, South India

Chemical profiles of volatile oils from four Alpinia species, Alpinia calcarata, A. gaanga, A. malaccensis and A. smithiae, were analyzed by gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC–FID), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and external standardization. Thirty-seven to forty-eight components (96.8–100%) were identified in the rhizome oils of these four Alpinia spp. Major constituents in A. calcarata were 1,8-cineole (35.9%), β-fenchyl acetate (12.9%), β-pinene (9.1%), camphene (5.6%) and α-terpineol (5.3%). A. malaccensis showed a very different chemical profile with α-phellandrene (36.4%) as its major constituent, followed by β-pinene (4.5%), p-cymene (14.9%), 13,14,15,16-tetranor-8(17)-labden-12-al (4.3%) and (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial (5.0%). The highest content of diterpenes (10.2%) was found in A. malaccensis. Major constituents in A. smithiae were α-terpineol (15.1%), α-fenchyl acetate (12.5%), β-caryophyllene (9.8%), γ-cadinene (5.5%), (E)-nerolidol (10.1%), caryophyllene oxide (10.1%) and (E)-isoamyl cinnamate (7.2%). 1,8-Cineole content in A. smithiae was only 2.1%. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were absent in A. smithiae. A. galanga was found to be rich in 1,8-cineole (52.9%). Potential molecules such as chavibetol acetate (5.6%), 2-(1E)-propenyl phenol (chavicol isomer, 4.7%) and phenol,4-(2-propenyl)-acetate (chavicol acetate, 1.1%) were detected in A. galanga rhizome oil, justifying its use as a food flavor additive. Potent pungent principle dihydrogalangal acetate (2.2%) was first detected in A. galanga rhizome oil.

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Leaf Oil of Amomum cannicarpum (Wight) Bentham ex Baker

Abstract The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves of Amomum cannicarpum (Wight) Bentham ex Baker, (Family: Zingiberaceae) was analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Individual components of the oil were identified by their mass spectra which were compared with published work. Twenty-nine compounds were identified, of which the major components were β-pinene (9.0%), caryophyllene oxide (6.6%), β-bisabolene (6.4%) and δ-cadinene (6.2%). The oil showed significant antimicrobial activity against certain Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as against two fungi (Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus).

Volatile Oils from the Root, Stem and Leaves of Schefflera stellata (Gaertn.) Harms (Araliaceae): Chemical Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity

Abstract Volatile oils from the roots, stem and leaves of Schefflera stellata (Gaertn.) Harms were isolated by hydrodistillation and characterized by analytical gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Sixty-nine (98.3%), seventy-eight (97.9%) and sixty-seven (98.0%) constituents were identified from the root, stem and leaf oils, respectively. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were the most abundant compounds in the root (73.8%), stem (68.8%) and leaf (63.4%) oils, followed by oxygenated sesquiterpenes, monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes. β-Caryophyllene (11.1–19.2%), α-humulene (7.3–15.4%), germacrene D (3.3–14.4%), germacrene B (8.3–21.7%) and epi-α-cadinol (5.6–15.0%) were the major constituents in these oils. Antimicrobial activity of the leaf oil was tested by the disc diffusion technique. The leaf oil showed good antifungal activity against Candida albicans and C. glabrata, but the antibacterial activity of the leaf oil was very low.

Volatile Constituents from the Leaf Oil of Amomum muricatum Beddome

Abstract Essential oil from the leaves of Amomum muricatum obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Fourteen constituents comprising 94.8% of the oil were identified, the major constituents of which were β-pinene (35.9%), δ-cadinene (8.9%), α-pinene (8.2%) and α-copaene (6.6%).

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Study of Essential Oil from the Leaves of Curcuma haritha Mangaly and Sabu

Abstract The essential oil obtained from the fresh leaves of Curcuma haritha by hydrodistillation was analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Forty one constituents, representing 97.0 % of the analysed oil constituted mainly by oxygenated mono and sesqui terpenes. Curdione (18.3 %), 1,8-cineole (11.8 %), camphor (11.8 %), furanogermenone (8.6 %) and furanodiene (8.9 %) were identified as the major constituents in C. haritha leaf oil. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the leaf oil was studied by agar disc diffusion technique. The leaf essential oil was tested against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and pathogenic fungal species of Candida. The leaf oil at 1:1 dilution with DMSO was found to be more active against fungal strains than bacterial strains. Antibacterial activity was significant only against Gram positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus.

Chemical profile, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of rhizome oil of Zingiber anamalayanum from Western Ghats in India

Abstract Volatile oil from fresh rhizomes of Zingiber anamalayanum was isolated by hydrodistillation and characterised by GC–FID and GC–MS. Twenty-one out of 24 constituents comprising 99.47% of the oil were identified. Major components in Z. anamalayanum rhizome oil were δ-2-carene (52.83%), camphene (9.83%), endo-fenchol (9.42%), iso-dihydrocarveol (6.44%) and cis-p-mentha-2,8-dien-1-ol (5.19%). Monoterpene hydrocarbons in the rhizome oil were 65.81%, followed by oxygenated monoterpenes (23.78%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (9.87%). Physical parameters of rhizome oil were 1.4031, − 16.097o (c = 1, CHCl3) and 0.9202. Z. anamalayanum rhizome oil showed significant anti-Dalton’s Lymphoma Ascitic activity.

Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Rhizome and Leaf Oils of Amomum Hypoleucum Thwaites

Abstract Essential oils from the rhizomes and leaves of Amomum hypoleucum were hydrodistilled and characterized by GC/FID and GC/MS. Nineteen constituents comprising 93.0% were identified from the rhizome oil. Cryptone (15.4%), β-pinene (11.9%) and caryophyllene oxide (7.6%) were the major constituents in the rhizome oil. Fifty-two constituents comprising 97.6% were identified from the leaf oil. (E)-Nerolidol (26.5%), α-fenchyl acetate (15.0%) and β-caryophyllene (8.4%) were the major constituents in the leaf oil. These oils showed good antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli.

Essential Oil Composition of Globba schomburgkii Hook. f. and Globba ophioglossa Wight

Abstract Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of Globba schomburgkii and G. ophioglossa, whole plants (Zingiberaceae) were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Twenty-two compounds representing 95.2 % of the oil were identified in the analyzed oil from Globba schomburgkii among which β-caryophyllene (31.7%) and caryophyllene oxide (10.3%) were the major constituents. The oil of G. ophioglossa was characterized by its richness in zerumbone (22.0%) and caryophyllene oxide (21.8%), which were among the 16 components comprising 88.3% of the total oil analyzed.

Composition of Rhizome and Leaf Oils of Amomum pterocarpum Thwaites

Abstract Essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the rhizomes and leaves of Amomum pterocarpum (Zingiberaceae) were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Thirty-six constituents each were identified from the rhizome (95.7%) and leaf oils (92.6%). β-Pinene was the major constituent in both the rhizome oil (65.5%) and the leaf oil (41.7%). Phytol (26.5%) was the other major constituent in the leaf oil.