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 Int J Pharm Bio Sci 2015 Jan; 6(1): (P) 283 - 289

Research Article Natural chemistry

International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences ISSN

0975-6299

ESSENTIAL OIL OF RED GALANGAL (ALPINIA GALANGA (L) WILLD)

RHIZOMES AS SLIMMING AROMATHERAPY

RIZKI DAMAYANTI1, IRMANIDA BATUBARA1,2 AND IRMA HERAWATI SUPARTO*1,2,3

1
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University,
IPB Campus, Darmaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
2
Biopharmaca Research Center-Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, 16128, Indonesia
3
Primate Research Center-Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, 16151, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Red galangal (Alpinia galanga (L) Willd) is an aromatic plant which has potential as
aromatherapy. The aim of this research was to evaluate and identify the red galangal
essential oil as slimming aromatherapy through in vivo observation in adult male Sprague
Dawley rats. The oil was separated by distillation and fractionated by silica gel column
chromatography resulting five fractions. Crude essential oil, fractions 1 and 2 were further
analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and performed in vivo assay. The
major compounds in the crude oil were β-bisabolene (11.78%) and trans-caryophyllene
(9.10%); in fraction 1 was bicyclo-2-heptene (12.08%); and pentadecane (11.09%) in
fraction 2. After five weeks of inhalation with 0.1% concentration, body weight showed
significant difference (P<0.05) and animals inhaling the crude oil had the lowest body
weight compared to fraction 1 but not different compared to control and fraction 2 treated
animals. In conclusion, red galangal’s essential oil compound β-bisabolene and
trans-caryophyllene were suggested as the responsible compounds that has slimming
aromatherapy effect.

KEY WORDS: aromatherapy, slimming, red galangal, essential oil

IRMA HERAWATI SUPARTO

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor
*Corresponding author Agricultural University, IPB Campus, Darmaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
Biopharmaca Research Center-Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, 16128, Indonesia
Primate Research Center-Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, 16151, Indonesia

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INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a very serious problem which is a MATERIALS AND METHODS

result of a long term imbalance between
calories consumed and calories expended1-2. Materials
People who have excess weight tend to have Materials in this study were dried red galangal
higher total plasma cholesterol (TPC) and from Takengon-Aceh Province (Indonesia),
triglyceride (TG) in their blood and lower HDL distilled water, ethyl acetate, chloroform,
(high density lipoprotein)3. These conditions methanol, n-hexane, silica gel, silica gel
lead to the risk of various diseases such as aluminum plate G60F254 from Merck,
high blood pressure and coronary heart propylthiouracil (PTU) and kits for TPC and TG
disease4. Lean et al. also stated that obesity is (BIOLABO). The laboratory animals were adult
a causative factor of cancer and metabolic male Sprague Dawley rat obtained from the
syndrome5. According to National Health and Biopharmaca Research Center - Bogor
Nutrition Examination Survey in USA, 65% Agricultural University. The diets were
adults (approximately 127 million people) do standard diet and high fat diet added egg yolk
not have ideal weight and their obesity caused and coconut oil.
more than 300,000 deaths every year1. Many
efforts have been done to lose weight such as Instrumentation
consuming synthetic medicine as well as The instruments used in this study were oven,
natural products which commonly taken orally. distiller, chromatography vessel, capillary pipe,
Currently, there are two types of medicine in Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
the market. First, medicine that act centrally by (GC-MS) (Shimadzu-Qp-505), as well as
suppressing appetite and increasing satiety. animal cages equipped with inhalator tube.
Second, medicine that works in the intestine
by inhibiting the absorption of fat6. Generally, Procedure
obese patient prefer to consume natural This research was performed in two stages.
(traditional) therapy rather than the synthetic The first stage was the collection of samples,
one. They believed it is safer and cheaper. determination of moisture and ash content,
Aromatherapy herbal plant based medicine is and isolation of essential oil by using
a new approached and recently more explored Dean-Stark distillation. Further fractionation of
as slimming alternative medicine. The plant essential oil by using silica gel open
compound that has potential as the slimming chromatography column with n-hexane and
aromatherapy is the essential oils7-8. Essential ethyl acetate as eluting solvent and final
oils have been reported to stimulate the fraction identification with GC-MS. Thin layer
release of endorphins, relieving physical and chromatography (TLC) analysis for each group
emotional discomfort as well as promoting a was perfomed by silica gel and n-hexane:ethyl
feeling of joy and well-being9. One of the acetic (9:1) as eluting solvent. The second
plants that contain these oils are red galangal stage was in vivo assay to evaluate the
rhizomes and the essential oil content between essential oil of red galangal and the two
0.3% - 0.5%10. Red galangal rhizome has selected fractions as slimming aromatherapy
been reported to have several medicinal in 24 adult male rats. After two weeks of
properties such as anti-inflammatory, adaptation period, all animals were fed high fat
analgesic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-allergy, diet with cholesterol of 25 g/day/animal added
antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, PTU 0.01% and water given ad libitum.
antibacterial and antioxidant10. Study of the Animals were divided into four treatment
active compound in red galangal as slimming groups (n= 6 animals). The treatment groups
aromatherapy has never been reported. were animals a) as control group not given
Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify inhalation (Group I); b) given red galangal
the active compound from the crude essential crude essential oil (Group II); c) treated with
oil as well as the fractions of red galangal that inhalation of fraction 1 (Group III); and d)
has potential as slimming aromatherapy in treated with inhalation of fraction 2 (Group IV).
adult male Sprague Dawley rat. The concentration of all aromatherapy was

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0.1% given for 5 weeks. The inhalation of oils in the treatment process. The amount of diets
was performed like shown in Figure 1. The oil given to the animals were recorded daily and
gas from the bottle was distributed to all cages body weight were recorded every week.

Figure 1
Apparatus for oils inhalation to the animal cages.

Fasting blood samples of 1 ml in confirmed that it belongs to the subfamily of

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were Alpinioideae and species Alpinia galanga12.
collected from the tail vein after animals The moisture and ash content were
sedated with ketamine HCl and xylazine determined 6.02% and 4.78%, respectively.
intraperitoneally (80mg/kg-weight and Moisture content less than 10% has longer
10mg/kg-weight, respectively) at pre-treatment storage time and more resistance to
and at the end of experiment taken microorganisme contamination. The maximum
intracardially. The blood was to analyzed TPC ash content requirement for medicinal plant in
and TG. Animals were euthanized by Indonesia was 5%13. Therefore, this red
exsanguination. After confirming death, body galangal can be further used as medicinal
fat tissues from the abdominal cavity and plant. Isolation of essential oil from 500 g dried
perineal area was collected and measured for red galangal rhizome results was 0.3% v/w of
its total weight. All procedures performed on yellowish oil. This result was similar to
these animals have been approved by the Bermawie et al. which reported that essential
animal ethic committee of Bogor Agricultural oil content of red galangal from Banten,
University (No. 04.2013 IPB). Data from all Yogyakarta and Central Java, Indonesia was
parameters (body weight, fat tissues weight, between 0.3-0.5%10.
plasma lipid, and diet consumption) were
analyzed using complete randomized group Fractionation Essential Oil of Red Galangal
method and ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) Red galangal essential oil (about 2 g) was
with confidence level of 95% (α level=0.05). fractioned with n-hexane and ethyl acetate by
Data that was significantly different (p<0.05) using step gradient method resulted in 5
further tested by Duncan’s post hoc test. fractions. Table 1 showed that the highest
yield was fraction 1 (63.5%) which has 6 spots
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION followed by fraction 2 which has 4 spots. The
TLC spots of fraction 1 and 2 were different
which means the component in fraction 1 and
Determination of Red Galangal and
2 should be different. Therefore, the crude
Extraction of Its Essential oil
essential oil, fraction 1 and fraction 2 were
Plant determination of red galangal from
further analyzed by GC-MS and used for in
Takengon was performed by the Herbarium
vivo analysis.
Bogorienses Laboratory of Indonesia Institute
of Sciences Cibinong Bogor, Indonesia. It was

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Table 1
Fractions of essential oil from red galangal rhizome

Fraction Total spot in TLC analysis Yield (%)

1 6 63.5
2 4 8.8
3 3 3.6
4 4 7.1
5 3 1.3

Composition of Crude Essential Oil, main major compounds such as

Fraction 1 and Fraction 2 bicyclo-2-heptene (12.08%), β-bisabolene
Composition analysis of crude essential oil, (11.61%) and eremophila (10.28%). On the
fraction 1 and 2 using GC-MS showed different other hand, main compound in fraction 2 was
compound composition (Table 2). The pentadecane (11.09%) and trans-α-
dominant component in the crude essential bergamotene (9.02%). The structure of major
oils was β-bisabolene (11.78%) and compounds were shown in Figure 2.
trans-caryophyllene (9.10%). Fraction 1 has 3

Table 2
Concentration of major compounds of the crude essential oil, fraction 1 and fraction 2

Concentration of major compound (%) in

Group Compound
Crude essential oil Fraction 1 Fraction 2
Monoterpene α-Pinene 0.69 0.13 -
β-Pinene 0.49 0.13 -
β-Elemene 6.36 3.97 0.84
Limonene - 0.15 -
Monoterpene 1.8-Cineol 3.94 - 1.29
alcohol Linalool - 0.04 -
α-Bisabolol 1.86 - -
Bergamotol 1.94 - -
Granil acetate 0.89 - -
Cavikol 0.32 - -
β-Fencyl alcohol 0.04 - -
α-Terpineol 0.86 - -
Sesquiterpene Trans-caryophyllene 9.10 - 3.59
β-Sesquiphellandrene 5.42 1.72 1.35
Bicyclo-2-heptene - 12.08 6.30
β-Bisabolene 11.78 11.60 2.68
Trans-α-bergamotene 2.39 - 9.02
Eremophila - 10.28 -
Pentadecane - - 11.69

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β-bisabolene trans-caryophyllene bicyclo-2-heptene trans-α-bergamotene

Figure 2
Structure of β-bisabolene, trans-caryophyllene, bicyclo-2-heptene and trans-α-bergamotene

Aromatherapy In Vivo Study reduction of body weight was shown in

Inhalation response to the tested animal was animals that inhaled crude essential oil
by observing the initial and final weight, fat (13.67%). The body weight reduction
deposits, and changes in lipid profile (TPC and mechanism with aromatherapy method was
TG). Total daily diet consumption in all four reported by stimulating through the olfactory
groups were not significantly different through system. The inhaled active compound affected
all treatment period (P>0.05, data not shown). the autonomic nervous system related to
For their body weight, at pre-treatment there lipolysis mechanisms and heat production in
was no difference among all groups (P>0.05), adipose cells, as well as decreased in appetite
whereas at the end of treatment there was that lead to weight reduction15. Shen et al.
significant difference (P<0.05). Post hoc stated that the aroma of grapefruit oil with a
Duncan analysis showed that animals treated dominant content of limonene affect the
with crude essential oil showed lower body autonomic nervous system. This increased of
weight compared to fraction 1 treated animals lipolysis through histaminergic and reduced in
but not different compared to the other two appetite leads to weight loss16. However, Shen
groups (Table 3). Unexpected finding, there et al. also reported that lavender aroma and its
were an increase of body weight response active compound linalool influenced the
shown in animals treated with fraction 2 which autonomic nervous system, lipolysis through
was similar to the effect of inhalation by histaminergic response and increase of
Zingiber zerumbet14. The highest percent appetite17.

Table 3
Average body weight male rat at pretreatment and post treatment

Pretreatment body Post treatment body

Treatment groups
weight (g) (P>0.05) weight (g) (P<0.05)
(I) Control 282.3 ± 13.6a 251.8 ± 25.3ab
(II) Crude Essential Oil 283.2 ± 22.0a 244.8 ± 25.8a
(III) Fraction 1 287.7 ± 14.8a 266.8 ± 16.3b
(IV) Fraction 2 289.0 ± 6.2a 258.9 ± 16.1ab
Number that following by the same superscripts were not significantly different (P>0.05) (Duncan’s multiple range test).

According to WHO, obesity is defined as an tissue deposit shown in Figure 3. The average
excess in accumulation of fat that can be body fat deposit from each group was not
harmful to health18. The total weight of body fat significantly different (P>0.05). However,

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Group II showed a trend of lower average body leads to weight reduction. The reason of this
fat deposit compared to the other groups. This insignificant result can be due to the possibility
trend showed that the crude essential oil tend of relatively short treatment time and the
to respond in a reduction of fat deposit which limited number of animals in each group.

Figure 3
Average of body fat deposit after treatment. Group (I) control,
(II) red galangal crude essential oil, (III) fraction 1 and (IV) fraction 2
Average concentration of TG after treatment norvegicus) was between 97.44-102.40
showed no significant difference (p>0.05) mg/dl19. Sukcow et al. and Fahri et al. reported
15
(Table 4). Farouk et al. reported that male that the concentration of TG in white rat was
rat albino normal TPC concentration was around 25-145 mg/dl19-20. These previous
around 115 mg/dl. Also reported the results illustrated that the concentration of TPC
concentration of TPC in white rat (Rattus and TG in this study was in the normal range.
.
Table 4
Total plasma cholesterol and triglycerides concentration after 5 weeks treatment

Total plasma cholesterol Triglycerides (mg/dl)

Treatment groups (mg/dl) (P>0.05) (P>0.05)
(I) Control 107.3 ± 34.9a 47.69 ± 6.99a
(II) Crude Essential Oil 106.6 ± 45.7a 47.97 ± 10.30a
(III) Fraction 1 79.9 ± 63.9a 37.83 ± 8.48a
(IV) Fraction 2 83.5 ± 10.7a 43.51 ± 13.09a
Number that following by the same superscripts was not significantly different (P>0.05) (Duncan’s multiple range test)

CONCLUSION

Fractionation of essential oils using polarity compound in fraction 2 were pentadecane

improvement methods result in five fractions (11.09%) and trans-α-bergamotene (9.02%).
with the selected fractions were fraction 1 and The result of 5 weeks of inhalation in the adult
2. GC-MS results showed that the dominant male rats showed that the crude essential oil
compounds in crude essential oil of red with concentration of 0.1% has potential as
galangal were β-bisabolene (11.78%) and slimming aromatherapy.
trans-caryophyllene (9.10%). Fraction 1
contains 4 main compounds which were ACKNOWLEDGMENT
bicyclo-2-heptene (12.08%), β-bisabolene
(11.61%), β-farnesena (10.28%) and
This research was supported by International
eremophila (10.28%), whereas the main
Collaboration Research and Publication of

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 Int J Pharm Bio Sci 2015 Jan; 6(1): (P) 283 - 289

Directorate General of Higher Education, Indonesia No 084/SP2H/PL/Ditlitabmas/V/

Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of 2013 and 9/IT3.11/LT/2014.

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