[Simultaneous determination of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin in essential oil from Alpinia officinarum Hance by GC].

Objective: To establish a method for simultaneous determination of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin in essential oil from Alpinia officinarum by GC.

Method: The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation. The determination was carried on with capillary column DB-1 (0.25 mm x 30 m, 0.25 microm). Temperature programs: 50 degrees C (hold 2 min) programmed to 130 degrees C (hold 3 min) at 8 degrees C x min(-1). The detector was FID. Inlet temperature was 230 degrees C. The detector temperature was 250 degrees C. Carrying gas was nitrogen (1.2 mL x min(-1)), split injection was conducted with split ratio of 10:1. Injection volumn was 1 microL.

Result: The linear ranges of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin were 0.009-0.090 (r = 0.999 8), 0.009-0.091 (r = 0.999 8), 0.060 4-0.604 (r = 0.999 7) and 0.037 4-0.374 g x L(-1) (r = 0.999 5), respectively. The average recoveries (n = 9) of a-pinene, beta-pinene, eucalyptol and alpha-terpineolin were 96.2% (RSD 0.8%) and 96.7% (RSD 1.1%), 98.7% (RSD 1.1%) and 96.7% (RSD 2.2%), respectively.

Conclusion: The developed method is simple, quick and accurate, which is helpful to control the quality of A. officinarum.