Antioxidant Activity and Characterizations of Cinnamon

(Cinnamomum Burmannii) Essential Oil from Lampung

Yelfi Anwar

, Dea Navalia Putri

and Andrianopsyah Mas Jaya Putra

Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta, Indonesia

Chemical Research Center, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia

Al-Kamil Institute of Science and Technology, Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Antioxidants, Cinnamon Essential Oil, DPPH, GC-MS.

Abstract: Essential oil is one of the export commodities in Indonesia. Therefore, essential oils receive considerable

attention from the government. In addition to being used as raw materials for flavourings and fragrances,

essential oils are also reported to have biological activities, including antioxidants, anti-ageing, antibacterial,

antifungal, anti-inflammatory, Cinnamon bark essential oil (Cinnamomum burmannii) produced by the

distillation method. The essential oil obtained is liquid with a yellow tint and has characteristic aromatic

cinnamon. This study aims to obtain content related to compounds and the availability of data on the

antioxidant activity of cinnamon, the method used is DPPH. The chemical components of cinnamon bark

essential oil analyzed using the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS) tool contained 50

compounds with 7 main compounds, namely Cinnamaldehyde (71.48%) which is the highest compound

content among other compounds, Alpha-Pinene (2.85%), Camphene (1.38%), Beta-Pinene (1.42%),

Eucalyptol (3.79%), Acetic Acid (9.62%), Caryophyllene oxide (2.53%). The value of 𝐼𝐶

of cinnamon

essential oil of 11,793 ppm indicates that cinnamon essential oil has a very strong antioxidant activity.

1 INTRODUCTION

Cinnamon is a plant native to South Asia, Southeast

Asia and mainland China, Indonesia is included in it.

This plant belongs to the family Lauraceae which has

economic value and is an annual plant that takes a

long time to take its results. The main result of

cinnamon is the bark of the trunk and branches, while

the by-products are twigs and leaves. This commodity

is not only used as a spice, its processed products such

as essential oils and oleoresins are widely used in the

pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, beverage, cigarette,

and other industries (Winda et al., 2014).

Indonesia is one of the countries producing

essential oils as a commodity that produces foreign

exchange. Therefore, essential oils receive

considerable attention from the government. One of

them is cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamomum

burmannii) which comes from Indonesia, while 4.2%

comes from Sri Lanka. As much as 80% of cinnamon

in Indonesia is produced in the West Sumatra area

(Rusli, 2010). Cinnamomum burmannii cinnamon

has been developing for a long time in Indonesia,

even becoming one of the main commodities of

Indonesian trade since the Dutch era. The growth of

Cinnamomum burmannil in Indonesia is supported by

the availability of mountainous land that stretches

along the length of Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi with

adequate rainfall (Ferry, 2013).

Cinnamon has antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral,

antioxidant, antitumor, blood pressure lowering,

cholesterol and has low-fat compounds. Cinnamon

can be a source of antioxidants because it contains

many compounds such as eugenol, safrole,

sinamaldehyde, tannins, and calcium oxalate

(Helmalia et al., 2019). Cinnamon bark essential oil

product (Cinnamomum burmannii) using the method

of distillation of moisture.

Cinnamon bark and leaves contain essential oils,

saponins and flavonoids. The compounds

cinnamaldehyde and linalool have been reported as

one antioxidant compounds (Saleh, 2010). The main

content of cinnamon essential oil is cinnamaldehyde

(60.72%), eugenol (17.62%), and coumarin (13.39%)

(Putri, 2019).

Antioxidants are compounds that can stabilize

free radicals by complementing the lack of electrons

owned by free radicals and inhibiting the occurrence

376

Anwar, Y., Putri, D. and Putra, A.

Antioxidant Activity and Characterizations of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Burmannii) Essential Oil from Lampung.

DOI: 10.5220/0012025800003582

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Seminar and Call for Paper (ISCP) UTA â

Z45 Jakarta (ISCP UTA’45 Jakarta 2022), pages 376-380

ISBN: 978-989-758-654-5; ISSN: 2828-853X

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

of chain reactions from the formation of free radicals.

Antioxidants are useful for regulating so that there is

no continuous oxidation process in the body. In

addition, antioxidants are also able to eliminate,

cleanse, resist the effects of free radicals.

Testing the antioxidant activity of cinnamon

ethanol extract conducted by (Antasionasti & I, 2021)

obtained a value of 1,939 ppm. This shows that

cinnamon bark extract has a very strong antioxidant

activity because it has a value of < 50ppm𝐼𝐶

𝐼𝐶

One of the methods used to identify antioxidant

activity is 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy/ (DPPH).

DPPH is a free radical that when reacted with plant

extracts containing antioxidants, there will be a

reaction to the capture of DPPH free radicals (purple)

which is converted into 1.1- diphenyl 2-

picrolhydrazyl (yellow).

Based on the description above, the author is

interested in conducting further research on the

antioxidant activity of Cinnamomum burmannii from

Lampung species using the DPPH method, so

cinnamon is expected to be a very strong antioxidant

activity.

2 MATERIAL AND METHODS

2.1 Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

Essential oils are obtained from farmers in the

Lampung area. The process to produce cinnamon

essential oil by using the distillation method. This

method is an appropriate method because the

essential oil contained in cinnamon does not tolerate

high heating and is volatile. The essential oil obtained

is liquid with a yellow tint and has characteristic

aromatic cinnamon.

2.1.1 Component Analysis with GC-MS

Volatile essential oils can be analyzed with GC- MS.

GC (Gas Chromatography) serves to separate the

components of essential oils and MS (Mass

Spectrometry) serves to determine the molecular

weight of each component based on fragmentation.

When a vapour of an organic compound is passed in

the ionization chamber of the mass spectrometer, this

compound will be shot with high-energy electrons

and cast high-energy electrons and cast electrons

from the compound.

2.2 Characterization of Essential Oils

2.2.1 Organoleptic Characterization of

Essential Oils

The characterization carried out is an organoleptic

examination. The examination aims to determine the

smell, warmth and clarity of cinnamon bark essential

oil (Cinnamomum burmanni). The examination uses

the senses by being seen, palpable and washed to find

out the colour, clarity and smell of essential oils.

2.2.2 Type Weight Measurement

This type of weight measurement aims to determine

the weight of the type of cinnamon bark essential oil

(Cinnamomum burmanni) produced using a

pycnometer.

2.2.3 Determination of Refractive Index

The refractive index for determining the purity of the

essential oil, the tool used is a refractometer. The

refractive index of essential oils is a comparison

between the sine of the falling angle and the sine of

the refractive angle if a beam of light of a certain

wavelength falls from the oiling air with certain angle

yang maintained at the hatching temperature p.

2.3 Test the Antioxidant Properties of

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil with

DPPH Method

2.3.1 Solution Manufacturing

A total of 2 mL of DPPH solution was put into a test

tube and then 2 mL of ethanol p.a was added and

incubated for 30 min. Then the absorption spectrum

is determined by UV-VIS spectrophotometry with a

wavelength of 400-700 nm and determines the

wavelength maximum.

2.3.2

Manufacture of Test Solution

Cinnamon essential oil is weighed as much as 10 mg

and dissolved with ethanol until its volume is 10 ml,

a mother liquor of 1000 ppm concentration is

obtained. Then it is piped at 0.125 ml; 0.25 ml; 0.5

ml; 1 ml; and 2 ml, each of which is put into a 5 ml

measuring flask and dissolved with ethanol until the

limit mark, so that the concentration of cinnamon

essential oil is obtained, namely 25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100

ppm, 200 ppm, and 400 ppm, respectively. Then each

pickpocketed 2 ml is put into a test tube and 2 ml of

DPPH solution is added, then the test solution is

Antioxidant Activity and Characterizations of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Burmannii) Essential Oil from Lampung

377

measured for absorption at wavelength using UV-V

is spectroscopy

2.3.3 Manufacturing of Vitamin C

Comparison Solution

Vitamin C is weighed at 10 mg and dissolved with

ethanol to a volume of 10 ml, a master solution of

1000 ppm concentration is obtained. Then vitamin C

is picked up at 0.01 ml; 0.02 ml; 0.03 ml; 0.04 ml: and

0.05 ml, each put in a 5 ml measuring flask and

dissolved with 80% ethanol until the limit mark, so

that vitamin C concentrations are obtained, namely 2

ppm, 4 ppm, 6 ppm, 8 ppm, and 10 ppm, respectively.

A total of 2 ml of it solution was picketed and added

2 ml of DPPH solution. Wavelengths using UV-Vis

spectroscopy.

2.3.4 Statistic Analysis

Data analysis in this study was carried out using the

standard curve method of linear regression y = ax

+ b made based on absorbance and concentration data

from the standard solution. The activity of an

antioxidant can be seen from the value of IC

(Inhibition Concentration). The concentration of the

sample and its inhibition per cent are plotted on the x-

axis and y-axis respectively on the linear regression

equation. The equation is used to determine the value

of each sample with a value of y of 50 and the value

of x to be obtained as 𝐼𝐶

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Here are the results of the analysis of the components

of cinnamon essential oil on the use of the GC-MS

tool, which aims to determine the content of the active

substances contained in the essential oil. In the GC

chromatogram image of sinamon oil the most

compounds are the 23rd peak synamaldehide (RT =

18.808) and the other majority compounds contained

in cinnamon essential oil. The spectrum provides

information that the compound synamaldehide is the

most compound content of sinamon oil from

cinnamon as much as 71.48%.

Figure 1: Chromatogram of GC.

Cinamaldehyde is the main essential oil

component of cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmanni)

which is produced naturally in the bark and leaves of

cinnamon plants of the genus Cinnamomum which is

believed to have many medicinal properties and also

contains natioxidants. In the previous study

conducted by Wijayanti (2011) explained that the

largest cinnamon content (Cinnamommum

burmanni) is an essential oil that has the main content

of the compound cinnamaldehyde (60.72%) the same

results were also obtained by Daniel (2011) in his

research which explained that cinnamaldehydede

content was 63.61%. This proves that the largest

compound content in cinnamon bark essential oil

(Cinnamommum burmanni) is Cinnamaldehyde in

accordance with SNI which is at least 50%.

Free radical compounds their reactivity is largely

determined by the presence of a free -OH (hydroxyl)

functional group and the double bond of the phenol

compound. The compound suspected to be an

antioxidant in cinnamon bark essential oil is

Cinnamaldehyde. The compound Cinnamaldehyde in

cinnamon is one of the very powerful antioxidants

that can effectively fight free radicals including

superoxide anions and hydroxy radicals.

ISCP UTA’45 Jakarta 2022 - International Seminar and Call for Paper Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta

378

Table 2: Essential Oil Characteristics.

Charachteristic

test

Result SNI 06-3734-

2006

Oraganoleptis :

Shape

Colour

Construction

Fall Clear

Yellow Typical

Cinnamon

Smell

Light yellow-

Light brown

Typical

Cinnamon

Type Weight 1,032 1,008-1,030

Refractive

Index

1,51 1,559-1,595

The results of essential oil identification are

carried out to determine the characteristics of

physical properties and chemical properties. On

organoleptic observations of essential oil Cinnamon

bark (Cinnamommum burmanni) was identified as

having a liquid form, clear yellow in colour, and a

characteristic cinnamon smell.

Based on the research conducted obtained the

specific gravity of cinnamon bark essential oil

(Cinnamommum burmanni) is 1,032. This result can

be said to be reproducible because the deviation is

small. The specific gravity of oil is determined by the

chemical components contained in it, the higher the

content of its components the heavier the type of the

specific gravity. The smaller the size of the material

in the distillation process penetrates more steam so

that the solid fraction evaporates faster.

Based on the results obtained, the refractive index

of cinnamon essential oil is 1.51 at a temperature of

20 °C. The value of the refractive index of essential

oils is closely related to the components composed in

the resulting essential oil, which is the case with

specific gravity, where the constituent components of

essential oils can affect the value of the refractive

index. The more long-chain or oxygen-lumped

components are distilled, the density of the essential

oil medium will increase. So until the light comes will

be more difficult to refract.

Figure 2: Graph of Antioxidant Activity of Cinnamon

Essential Oil.

Figure 3. Graph of Antioxidant Activity of Vitamin C

Testing the antioxidant activity of Cinnamon

Essential Oil in using the DPPH method (4, I-

diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) was chosen because it is

simple, easy, fast and sensitive and requires only a

small sample. As a positive control used ascorbic acid

(Vitamin C), a Sample containing antioxidants can be

seen by the presence of a decrease in the intensity of

DPPH colour. Antioxidant compounds will react with

DPPH radicals, causing a change in DPPH colour

from purple to yellow.

Free radical compounds reactivity is largely

determined by the presence of a free -OH (hydroxyl)

functional group and the double bond of the phenol

compound. The compound suspected to be an

antioxidant in cinnamon bark essential oil is

cinnamaldehyde. The compound cinnamaldehyde in

cinnamon is one of the very powerful antioxidants

that can effectively fight free radicals including

superoxide anions and hydroxy radicals.

In the previous study conducted by (Ramadhani,

2017) the activity of manus wood essential oil

showed that the 𝐼𝐶

value was 133.53 ppm. The 𝐼𝐶

value of cinnamon bark is in the range of 101-105

ppm, this indicates that cinnamon bark essential oil

has a moderate potential as an antioxidant.

Vitamin c

y = 2,686x + 45,262

R² = 0,8828

Konsentrasi (PPM)

Inhibisi

Antioxidant Activity and Characterizations of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Burmannii) Essential Oil from Lampung

379

In this study, a spectrum of DPPH maximum

wavelength of 516 nm was obtained. Figure 2 shows

that DPPH free radical suppression has occurred after

adding cinnamon bark essential oil, where the higher

the concentration of cinnamon bark essential oil, the

greater % of dampening is characterized by lowering

the absorbance value.

To see the value of 𝐼𝐶

obtained from the

equation Y = ax + b, by entering the value of Y of 50

so that a value of x is obtained which is represented

by the amount of 𝐼𝐶

for essential oils (Cinnamomum

burmannii) which is 11.79. From the results, it is

shown that the antioxidant activity in cinnamon

essential oil has a very strong activity with a value of

<50 ppm.

4 CONCLUSION

Based on the analysis of GC-MS showed results that

in cinnamon bark essential oil the amount of 50

compounds and 7 main compounds, namely,

Cinnamaldehyde with the amount (71.48%) is the

highest compound containing antioxidants, Alpha-

Pinene (2.85%), Camphene (1.38%), Beta-Pinene

(1.42%), Eucalyptol (3.79%), Acetic Acid (9.62%),

Caryophyllene oxide (2.53%).

The antioxidant activity of cinnamon bark

essential oil obtained through the test method with

DPPH is included in the group of very strong

antioxidants with an IC50 value of 11,793 ppm

because it enters the standard, which is <50 ppm.

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