Volatile oil Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Curcuma oligantha var. oligantha Rhizomes

Hydrodistilled volatile oil obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma oligantha Trimen var. oligantha (Zingiberaceae) was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The volatile oil was composed mainly of cinnamyl cinnamate (88.0 %), linalool (2.9 %) and α-phellandrene (2,2 %).  Among the nine monoterpenes (6.9 %) present in the oil, the prominent ones were linalool  (2.9%) and α-phellandrene (2.2 %). The oil contained ten sesquiterpenes (2.8 %) comprising mainly (2Z,6E)-farnesyl acetate (1.2%). The aliphatic constituents (2.5 %) were characterized as n-heptadecane, n-octadecanal, n-hexadecanol (1.4 %)  and n- hexadecanoic acid. About 15 components occurred in trace amounts in the oil. The volatile oil and ethanolic extract of the rhizomes showed significant antimicrobial activity.