Chemical Diversity in the Genus Alpinia (Zingiberaceae): Comparative Composition of Four Alpinia Species Grown in Northern India

The essential-oil compositions of leaves, flowers, and rhizomes of Alpinia galanga (L) WILLD. Alpinia calcarata ROSC Alpinia spectosa K SCHUM and Alpinia allughas ROSC were examined and compared by capillary GC and GC/MS Monoterpenoids were the major oil constituents identified 1,8-Cineole, alpha-terpineol, (E)-methyl cinnamate, camphor. terpinen-4-ol, and alpha- and beta-pinenes were the major constituents commonly distributed in leaf and flower essential oils The presence of endo-fenchyl acetate. exo-fenchyl acetate, and endo-fenchol was the unique feature of rhizome essential oils of A galanga. A calcarata, and A spectosa On contrary, the rhizome oil of A allughas was dominated by beta-pinene Significant qualitative and quantitative variations were observed in essential-oil compositions of different parts of Alpinia species growing in subtemperate and subtropical regions of Northern India Cluster analysis was performed to find similarities and differences in essential-oil compositions based on representative molecular skeletons Monoterpenoids, viz, 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol, camphor, pinenes, (E)-methyl cinnamate, and fenchyl derivatives, were used as chemotaxonomic markers