How is this zedoary turmeric oil extracted?
Zedoary turmeric oil is produced by steam distillation of the dried rhizomes — the pharmacopoeia route prescribed by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 (Vol. I) and T/ZZB 1267-2019 — and optionally refined by supercritical CO2 extraction for high-end grades. Rhizomes are cleaned, dried at 50-60 C for 0.5-1 h, crushed to no more than 15 mm, then distilled with live steam at 96-102 C for up to 24 hours.
Extraction Methods
| Method | Process | Typical yield | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam distillation | 96-102 C, up to 24 h, 316L stills, oil-water separator | About 1-1.5% | Pharmacopoeia grade, standard supply |
| Supercritical CO2 | 50 C, 10 MPa, 1-3 h, fractionated columns | Up to 4.63% | High-end medical grade |
| Molecular distillation | 70-100 C, 1.2-2.5 mbar, wiped-film | Curcumol crystal >99% purity | Anti-tumour API preparation |
Key Process Steps
- Pre-treatment: sorting, washing, drying at 50-60 C, crushing to particle size ≤15 mm
- Extraction in a 316L stainless steel still with live steam, condensate cooled to 5-15 C
- Oil-water separation in a Florentine separator with sight glass, then filtration
- Fractional distillation to concentrate germacrone, curdione and beta-elemene fractions when a refined grade is required
- Final filling in a D-class clean environment per GMP, in amber glass or aluminium containers
Quality Control
- HPLC fingerprint (216 nm) must match the reference fingerprint with similarity ≥0.95
- Germacrone ≥7.5% and furanodiene ≥10.0% are mandatory pharmacopoeia limits
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This article was published on 2026-09-07, and last updated on 2026-09-07. The article will be continuously updated.
