Macroscopic examination and microscopic examination, antioxidant activity of Curcuma aromatica Salisb

Abstract

Curcuma aromatica Salisb. (Zingiberaceae) have been used in traditional Thai medicine for a long time. This study was carried out to develop the pharmacognostic specifications by qualitative content of C. aromatica Salisb. The sample was collected from the Department of Agriculture in Thailand. Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of crude drug was illustrated. The physicochemical parameters of C. aromatica Salisb. was prelim analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) using silica gel60 GF254 as stationary phase. Chloroform and methanol (9:1) were used as mobile phase. Volatile oils were extracted using steam distillation method and subjected to gas chromatographic analysis. Identification of the volatile chemical constituents were performed by Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was demonstrated the most common volatile oil was β-Curcumene in retention time at 31.25, accounting for 49.83 % of the area, followed by α-Curcumene retention time at 29.97 %, accounting for 30.48 %, respectively. It is a substance in the Curcuminoids group.  The free radical scavenging potentials of the ethanolic extract of C. aromatica Salisb. was demonstrated with the IC₅₀ of 0.207 µg/ml for DPPH and the IC₅₀ of 0.195 µg/ml for Ascorbic acid, the IC₅₀ of 8.460 µg/ml for BHT, the IC₅₀ of 3.137 µg/ml for Quercetin.