Abstract:

Essential oil was extracted from Cuminum cyminum L. fruit with steam distillation extraction method in 2.6% yield. The chemical components of the essential oil were analyzed with gas chromatography-mass (GC-MS). Twenty-eight components were detected and twenty-six components among them (99.801% of the total essential oil) were identified. Cuminal (39.511%) is the main component, followed by 2-caren-10-al (17.707%) and 3-caren-10-al (17.542%). The sodium nitrite scavenging effect of the essential oil was studied. It was found that the essential oil has considerable sodium nitrite scavenging effect with the maximum scavenging rate 92.5%. The extracts from residue after steam distillation extraction with different organic solvents also show significant sodium nitrite scavenging effects, and the maximum scavenging rates of acetone, methanol and ethanol extracts are 71.1%, 58.7% and 45.5%, respectively.

Key words: cumin, Cuminum cyminum L, essential oil, GC-MS, sodium nitrite