Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Petroleum Ether Extract from Kaempferia galanga L.

Kaempferia galanga L. (KGL) from Hainan, China was extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction with 90% ethanol solution, and then extracted with petroleum ether after the ethanol extract was recovered to be alcohol free. The antioxidant activity of the petroleum ether fraction of KGL was first tested using the ABTS method. GC-MS was used to analyze the chemical constituents of the petroleum ether fraction. The scavenging effect on ABTS free radicals of the petroleum ether fraction was weak, indicating that the antioxidant activity of the petroleum ether fraction was moderate. A total of 25 chemical components were identified by GC-MS analysis. The main components with higher content were 2,6,11-trimethyl dodecane, ethyl p-methoxy cinnamate, and ethyl cinnamate, which accounted for 81.64%. Furthermore, 11 kinds of constituents of the petroleum ether extract were obtained from KGL for the first time. This experiment clarifies firstly the main chemical composition of petroleum ether fraction from KGL, which provides some scientific basis for the further exploration and use of petroleum ether fraction from KGL and the comparative analysis of the chemical composition of KGL in different regions.