Comparative Studies on Physicochemical Properties and GC-MS Analysis of Essential Oil of the Two Varieties of Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger or ginger root is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale consumed as a delicacy, spice and medicine. It lends its name to its genus and family (Zingiberaceae). In this study essential oil of the two varieties of ginger from Bangladesh and China were investigated by GC-MS. Total 11chemical constituents were found by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis from the essential oil of Bangladeshi ginger. The oil rich in zingiberene, (38.10%), beta phellandrene (12.00%), β-sesquiphellandrene (9.546%), α-curcumene (9.224%), camphene (5.94%), α-Farnesene (4.573%), β-bisabolene (4.39%), citral (3.91%), α-pinene(2.33%), eucalyptol (1.27%), germacene D(1.14%) respectively i.e. total monoterpene(25.45%) and sesquiterpene (66.97%). On the other hand total 10 chemical constituents were found from the China zinger .The oil contains α-curcumene(26.54%),camphene(20.60%),citral(17.90%),α-pinene(6.63%),borneol(5.40%),β-isabolene(4.57%),eucalyptol(2.44%), 1,2disisopropenylcyclobutane (2.84%), hexadecanoic acid (1.55%), L-alloaromadendren(0.86%) i.e total monoterpene (56.24%) and sesquiterpene (33.97%). Quantification of active principles through analytical tools is essential for establishing the authenticity and credibility. Steam distillation extraction combined with GC-MS has been shown to be a valuable tool for the analysis of ginger constituents and can provide a useful guide to component variation. The main objective of the present study was focused on identification and quantification of chemical constituents present in the essential oil of ginger by GC-MS methods.