STUDY ON THE ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION OF ALPINIA GALANGA (L.) WILLD FROM DINH HOA, THAI NGUYEN USING GC–MS

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the differences in chemical composition and content of essential oils from two varieties of Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd cultivated in Dinh Hoa commune, Thai Nguyen province. To address this issue, rhizome samples of both white and red galangal were collected at the same growth stage and from the same cultivation area. The essential oils were obtained by the distillation method. The chemical composition and content of the essential oils were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results showed clear differences in the composition and content between the white and red galangal essential oils. (4-prop-2-enylphenyl) acetate was the most abundant compound in red galangal (23.14%), compared to 4.91% in white galangal. In contrast, 1,8-cineole was mainly present in white galangal (13.69%), while it accounted for 7.23% in red galangal. Six compounds with a relative content ≥ 5% were identified in the red galangal oil, whereas only four compounds reached this threshold in the white galangal oil. These results indicate distinct chemical characteristics between the two types of galangal and emphasize their potential use as natural raw materials for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications.