GC-MS based chemical fingerprinting large cardamom cultivars of Sikkim

Amomum subulatum Roxb, also known as large cardamom, is an herbaceous plant cultivated in Sikkim, India for its aromatic seeds with diverse applications in food, beverages, perfumery, and medicine. In this study, we aimed at Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based chemical fingerprinting through analyzing volatile compounds in seeds and assess the relatedness among seven large cardamom cultivars grown in the Sikkim hill region. We examined the phytochemical composition of large cardamom seed extract using GC/MS analysis. The results indicated significant differences in volatile compounds among the cultivars. The major bioactive components unravelled were 1,8-cineole (76.37-90.63%), α-terpineol (1.73-13.40%), α-terpinolene (0.23-11.51%), β-pinene (0.54-4.13%), γ-terpinolene (0.77-4.47%), and α-pinene (0.35-1.86%), which possess notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory as well as antibacterial properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) and dendrogram analyses revealed similarity of large cardamom cultivar ICRI SKM-1 with ICRI SKM-2 and Seremna while showed close relatedness among the cultivars such as Ramsey, Ramla, and Sawney based on their phytochemical composition. These findings have important implications for large cardamom breeding programme. The findings of this study also elucidated the potentiality of large cardamom seed extracts for commercial applications in various industries, including medicine, food, and cosmetics.