Chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil of rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith

Abstract

The aim was designed to study the biological activity and chemical composition of essential oil of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith. The essential oil extracted from the rhizome of the plant was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and its major components amounting to 98.4 % were found to be zerumbone (75.2%), a- caryophyllene (7.1%), camphene (5.1%), eucalyptol (2.4%), and camphor (3.0%). Antioxidant activity and total phenol content assay were studied using the DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric methods. Antimalarial, anti-leishmanial, antimicrobial assays were analysed for the essential oil and its major component, zerumbone. The essential oil and zerumbone exhibited antimalarial and antileishmanial activities whereas only Cryptococcus neoformans showed antimicrobial activity on the essential oil.