Review of essential oils of Curcuma aeruginosa: chemical composition and pharmacological activities

Curcuma aeruginosa is a plant from the Zingiberaceae family that is widely used in traditional medicine to treat coughs, asthma, diarrhea, dysmenorrhea, fever, colic, and others. The essential oil in C. aeruginosa is mainly dominated by oxygenated sesquiterpenes, followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, and monoterpene hydrocarbons. The three main components are curzerenone, 1,8-cineole, germacrone, camphor, and curcumenol. Curcuma aeruginosa essential oil has several pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiandrogenic activities. This review aimed to provide information regarding several studies regarding C. aeruginosa rhizome essential oil, which focuses on its chemical composition and pharmacological activity. The method to review articles was to search several databases to identify and download abstracts, original articles, and research papers related to C. aeruginosa. The inclusion criteria used were articles from 2003-2022. Of the 104 articles found, they were then extracted into 42 articles that focused on C. aeruginosa rhizome essential oil, chemical composition, and pharmacological activity as keywords. The many volatile compounds contained in C. aeruginosa essential oil have the potential to be developed as medicines, food preservatives, and natural therapies. However, phytochemical and pharmacological studies need to be explored further to isolate bioactive compounds and study their mechanisms of action.