Abstract The rhizome essential oils of Curcuma angustifolia from Central and Southern India were subjected to GC/MS analysis, which resulted in the identification of 81 and 78 constituents, accounting for more than 95 and 99% of the oil contents, respectively. The major constituents in the rhizome oil from Central India were xanthorrhizol isomer (12.7%), methyl eugenol (10.5%), palmitic acid (5.2%) and camphor (4.2%), while the rhizomes oil from Travancore (Southern India) had germacrone (12.8%), camphor (12.3%), isoborneol (8.7%), curdione (8.4%) and 1,8âcineole (4.8%) as major constituents. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.