Zingiberene, β-sesquiphellandrene and turmerone were found predominant compounds from Curcuma aromatica essential oil (CAEO).
CAEO could promote tumour suppressor protein p53 expression.
CAEO inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and increased the phosphorylation of JNK1/2 and p38.
CAEO treatment inhibited Akt/NF-κB signal pathways in NCI-H1299 cells.
CAEO induced apoptosis and had a great potential to become a new anti-tumour candidate in human non-small-cell lung cancer.