EFFECT OF SNIFFING OF KENCUR (KAEMFERIA GALANGAL) ESSENTIAL OILS IN RATS

The purposes of this research were to separate constituent of kencur (Kaemferia galangal) essential oil and to evaluate their effects on rats by sniffing method. Separation of kencur essential oil by silica gel column chromatography resulted in 11 fractions and one pure compound. Based on GC-MS and NMR data, the pure compound was 2-propenoic acid, 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-ethyl ester (EPMC) and fraction 2 consisted of δ-3-carene as a major component. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups, namely: normal group which consumed normal diet, negative control group which consumed high cholesterol diet without treatment, crude oil group, fraction 2 group and EPMC group which consumed high cholesterol diet with sniffing kencur crude oil, fraction 2 and EMPC, respectively. The results showed that the HDL, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rat’s blood which sniffed the oils for 5 weeks were significantly different for each group (P<0.05). In conclusion, fraction 2 which consisted of δ-3-carene had slimming effect while kencur crude essential oil and EPMC decreased the cholesterol and triglyceride level in rats’ blood.