Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Determination of volatile compounds of Illicium verum Hook. f. using simultaneous distillation-extraction and solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Wenbo Zhang¹, Yan Zhang² , Xueyan Yuan¹, Erlin Sun³

¹School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003; ²Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety (Tianjin University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Tianjin 300457; ³Tianjin Institute of Urology, Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, PR China.

For correspondence:- Yan Zhang Email: cpzyyan@126.com Tel:+8613752353154

Received: 9 April 2015 Accepted: 31 August 2015 Published: 31 October 2015

Citation: Zhang W, Zhang Y, Yuan X, Sun E. Determination of volatile compounds of Illicium verum Hook. f. using simultaneous distillation-extraction and solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(10):1879-1884 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i10.20

© 2015 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the characteristic aromatic constituents of star anise (Illicium verum Hook. f.) and identify its main aroma compounds for sensory evaluation.

Methods: The volatile compounds of star anise were prepared by simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) and the compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The flavor compounds were confirmed by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). Their flavor dilution factor (FD) values were determined using aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Finally, standard samples that meet the requirements for sensory evaluation were extracted by the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to further validate characteristic aroma molecules.

Results: Forty seven compounds were confirmed, with trans-anethole, estragole, and anisaldehyde the main aroma components. The content of trans-anethole was the highest (75.76 %), followed by linalool (1.44 %). Limonene (1.01 %) and 4’-methoxypropiophenone (0.72 %) were the lowest.

Conclusion: Combining SDE coupled with AEDA and SPME coupled with GC-MS is beneficial for identifying characteristic aroma compounds for star anise, such as trans-anethole, linalool and limonene in terms of FD value. The findings may be useful for star anise quality control in the food industry.

Keywords: Aroma, Flavor dilution factor (FD value), Gas chromatography-olfactometry, Simultaneous distillation-extraction, Sensory evaluation, Star anise, Illic