The present work was conducted to assess and compare the chemical composition of volatile oils from
fresh, dried and cured turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizomes from a selected single source. In addition,
their antioxidant and radical scavenging potentials were correlated with chemical composition. Major
components were ar-turmerone (21.0–30.3%), ˛-turmerone (26.5–33.5%) and ˇ-turmerone (18.9–21.1%).
Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values were 38.9, 68.0 and 66.9 M at 1 mg of oil/ml for
fresh,driedandcuredrhizome respectively inABTS assay.IC50 values for fresh,driedandcuredrhizome oil
to quench DPPH radicals were 4.4, 3.5 and 3.9 mg of oil/ml respectively. Fresh, dried and cured rhizome
oils showed antioxidant capacity of 358, 686 and 638 mM of ascorbic acid equivalents per 1 mg of oil
respectively. The rhizome oil shows good reducing potential and was concentration dependent. It is
inferred that the cured rhizomes provided high yield of volatile oil with appreciably high antioxidant