GC-MS IDENTIFICATION OF ENDEMIC HERB CURCUMA ALBIFLORA THW. (SRI LANKA)

Curcuma albiflora Thw. is an important anti-inflammatory medicinal plant, which is used in Sri Lankan Traditional Medicine. The plant is endemic to Sri Lanka and unexplored. Therefore it is necessary to conduct a proper systematic study to establish a chemical profile of C. albiflora. Therefore, the current study was conducted GC-MS study on various extracts of C. albiflora. The whole plant parts of the plant C. albiflora were collected from June to October in the flowering season at Sabaragamuwa province, Sri Lanka. Samples were authenticated by National Herbarium, Peradeniya. Hydro-distillation by Clevenger’s apparatus and continuous extraction by Soxhlet apparatus were carried out on various solvents (petroleum ether, acetone, and methanol). GC-MS analyses were performed on various extracts (water, petroleum ether, acetone, and methanol) of C. albiflora. Retention index was calculated of each compound based on standard alkane chromatogram. The whole plant of C. albiflora essential oil consisted mainly of α-pinene (14.51%), caryophyllene oxide (9.35%), alcanfor (5.12%), aromadendrene oxide-I (4.81%), α-famesene (4.01%) and camphene (3.64%). While petroleum ether extract of C. albiflora consisted mainly neocurdione (5.15%), trans-z-α-bisabolene epoxide (4.69%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.9%),  acetone extract consisted mainly  α-pinene (9.76%), 2,4-octadiyne (6.1%), and (3α,5α) 2-methylene cholestanol (3.73%) and methanol extract consisted mainlycaryophyllene oxide(16.18%), 5α-androstanone, cyclic ethylene-mercaptole (11.04%), acetonyl-di-methyl carbinol (10.29%), aromadendrene oxide-(1) (9.15%), α-pinene (6.52%), neocurdione (5.85%), (e)-α-famesene (4.82%). The current study was the first chemical analysis of plant C. albiflora, and it is suggested to study TLC profile of various extracts, antioxidant bio assays and pharmacological properties in future.