ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE OIL OF THE FRUITS OF ELETTARIA CARDAMOMUM (L.) MATON AND ITS ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY
Shahnaz S. Husain, Mohammed Ali*
ABSTRACT
Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton (Zingiberaceae), is a tall, perennial,
reed–like herb growing wild in rainforests of South India, Sri Lanka
and other tropical countries. Cardamom fruit is used against cardiac
disorders, renal and vesicular calculi, dyspepsia, debility, anorexia,
asthma, bronchitis, halitosis and gastrointestinal disorders. Its fruit
volatile oil was characterized by a large number monoterpenes
(97.5%). Among twenty three volatile constituents, there were seven
monoterpene hydrocarbons (9.0%), three monoterpene esters (1.3%)
and seven monoterpene alcohols (86.7%). The predominant
monoterpene was 1,8–cineole (85.2%) following by cis-ocimene
(3.7%) and α-terpinene (2.2%). Only three sesquiterpenes (04%), α-
guaiene, caryophyllene oxide and nerolidol, were present in the
volatile oil. Sixteen monoterpenes occurred in trace amounts. Except formic acid (2.1%), no
other aliphatic or aromatic constituent was detected in the volatile oil. The volatile oil
showed significant antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains.
Keywords: Elettaria cardamomum, fruits, volatile oil, GC-MS analysis, antimicrobial activity.
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