International Journal of Scientific Research Today July 2015 www.ijscrt.com ISSN (online) 2394-9589/Vol. 7(1): 108-112 Alpinia from zingiberaceae Krishna, M. H *. P.B.Biotech., Bangalore * Corresponding author: krishna123@yahoo.com Key words: Alpinia Calcarata Galanga Zingiberacea Received on: 17-07-2015 Accepted on: 22-07-2015 Abstract Plants produce secondary metabolites as defenses against animals and organisms. These may or may not be harmful to humans. They have been successfully used in pharmaceuticals, herbal preparations and traditional medicines. Non- toxic compounds from the plants are also in use, they may be used in single or in combination with other natural components of extracts. The risks of side effects medicinal plants are low, but when taken together with pharmaceuticals, there may be some potential interactions. In this article Alpinia species is described. Medicinal plants Field of medicine and the world economy has currently put in some great attention to the phytochemicals that are obtained from medicinal plants. Standardized toxicology and clinically defined crude drugs have shown to be a low cost alternative in primary health care. Traditional ethnobotanical knowledge, application of modern phytochemical analysis and biological activity studies to medicinal plants has also contributed immensely [3]. According to Lewis and Elvin [6], nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of years, and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources, many based on their use in traditional medicine. These plant based traditional medicine system continue to play an essential role in health care. At least 90 plant species are currently important for drug production providing around 119 chemical substances. Medical ethnobotany utilizes wide range of plant materials for therapeutics. Some are remedial plants that are widely used for treating cancers and other diseases while some are psychoactive plants which are used for central nervous system and psychiatry disorders. Plants produce secondary metabolites as defenses against animals and organisms. These may or may not be harmful to humans. They have been successfully used in pharmaceuticals, herbal preparations and traditional medicines. Nontoxic compounds from the plants are also in use, they may be used in single or in 108
combination with other natural components of extracts. The risks of side effects medicinal plants are low, but when taken together with pharmaceuticals, there may be some potential interactions. Eg: Vit K (from Broccoli) in high dose can be antagonistic to the effects of anticoagulant therapy. Some when taken separately for a specific therapy they are safe, but when taken together may be risky or to the worst deadly. Pharmaceutical drugs can also be extremely dangerous, even when properly prescribed and administered. Zingiberaceae consists of about 50 genera and 1300 species of pantropical origin with center of diversity in South and Southeast Asia. Some species occur in America and subtropical and warmtemperate Asia. Twenty genera, including one endemic and 216 species, including 141 endemic, four introduced, occur in China [4]. A few commercially important plant species in Zingiberaceae are cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton), ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), kasturi turmeric (C. aromatica Salisb.), mango ginger (C. amada Roxb.), large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.), Aframomum spp., Kaempferia spp. etc. Many are used in ayurvedic and other native systems of medicine from time immemorial, and some are important spices. Alpinia (Ornamental Ginger) Two medicinal species of Alpinia, A. galanga (L) sw. and A. calcarata Rosc. were selected for the study. Alpinia is a perennial herb, with rhizomatous rootstocks and tall, leafy stems, occurring in the warmer parts of Asia, extending to Polynesia. About 12 species are found in India. A number of Alpinia species are cultivated in gardens as pot-plant, and in shrubberies and clumps. They are useful in rockeries and with their foliage and magnificent panicles add to the color effect of gardens during the summer months in the plains of India. Alpinias require rich soil and cool shady situations. They are propagated by the divisions of root stocks which are planted a meter apart in a permanent site in the garden, or in pots. Liberal watering and application of liquid manure are beneficial during the growing period. The plants require thinning and clipping to keep them shapely and low [1]. Alpinia galanga (L) Sw. Alpinia galanga (L.) Sw. (Zingiberaceae) is known by various names as galangal, greater galangal, Java galangal and Siamese ginger (English). The related species are A. officinarum Hance and A. calcarata Rosc., which are known as lesser galangal. All the three species have more or less similar properties and uses and hence in trade practically no distinction is made among them. Various vernacular names are given to A. galanga [2] and are as follows: Bengali; Hindi; Sanskrit and Urdu: Barakulanjar, Kulanjan Gujarati: Kulinjal Kannada: Dumparasmi Malayalam: Arattha, Kol- inji, Peraratta Tamil: Peraratthei 109
Telugu: Peddadumparashtram Ayurvedic properties Various proerties are assigned to this drug [2]. Guna: Rasa: Veerya : Vipaka: Dosha: Laghu, Tikshana Katu Ushna Katu Kaphavatahara Karma: Mukhadoshahara, Deepana, Kanthya, Shasakasaghna A. galanga is a herb, 1.8-2.4 m in height, with tuberous aromatic root stock, occurring throughout India and cultivated for its rhizomes. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acute, glabrous, 30-60cm long, ligule rounded; flowers greenish white, streaked with red, in dense flowered, 30cm long panicles; capsules orange or red, globose. The greater galangal is native to Indonesia, but has now become naturalized in many parts of India. It is frequently met with in the sub-himalayan region of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, and is extensively cultivated all over India mostly in shady situations. It is a reputed drug in the indigenous system of medicine and is fairly largely used in southern India as a domestic remedy. The dried rhizome provides the drug Greater Galangal. The rhizome is 2.5-10-cm thick and is reddish brown externally, and light orange brown inside. It has a tough and fibrous fracture and a spicy pungent taste. It can be easily distinguished from Lesser Galangal by its feeble odor and taste, and deep orange brown skin which are prominently contrasting with the pale buff color and strong odor and the taste of the latter. It differs in its cellular structure also. The rhizomes of the Lesser Galangal are smaller in size, and are substituted for those of Greater Galangal. Rhizomes of other Alpinia species are sometimes substituted for the genuine drug. The rhizomes are 11cm long and 2cm in diameter is collected in late summer or early autumn and washed and trimmed and carefully dried. They are marked with wavy annulations of leaf bases which possess a lighter color than the remaining surface. Fresh rhizomes on steam distillation yield an essential oil (0.04%) with a peculiar strong and spicy odor. The oil contains methyl cinnamate (48%), cineol (20-30%), camphor and probably d- pinene. A hydrocarbon (C 15 H 30 ) is also reported to be present. The oil is carminative and in moderate doses has an anti-spasmodic action on involuntary muscle tissue, inhibiting excessive peristaltic movement of the intestines. It is CNS depressant and possesses bactericidal properties. The oil is also used in perfumery industry. The drug is much used in rheumatism and bronchial catarrh. It is considered a tonic, stomachic, carminative and stimulant, and is used as a fragrant adjunct to complex preparations and in cough and digestive mixtures. Its chief use is for clearing the voice. The drug has an 110
expectorant action, similar to that of dill and anise, and is useful in many respiratory ailments, especially in children. It has an anti spasmodic effect which alleviates asthma and also exhibits anti- amphetamine and diuretic property. In affections of the gastrointestinal tract, the drug may be useful like other volatile oils. The rhizomes are used as condiment in Indonesia. In Kerala, they are used for seasoning fish and in pickling. The rhizomes are reported to be employed for insecticidal purposes as the essential oil contained in them has a high knock-down effect against houseflies. Leaves yield an essential oil containing mostly methyl cinnamate. The flowers are eaten raw or in pickles in some parts of Indonesia. The herb is reported to possess anti- tubercular property. The water -soluble portion of the alcoholic extract of the air- dried plant is reported to exhibit a significant antiinflammatory activity in albino rats similar to that of β methasone. The seeds are considered calefacient, stomachic, sternutatory; they are prescribed in China for colic, diarrhea and vomiting [1]. According to Khare [5] rhizome is considered to be carminative (in dyspepsia), stamachic, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic, anti inflammatory. Throughout South India, the rhizome is used as Raasna for rheumatism, intermittent fever, dyspepsia, and respiratory ailments (in North India, Vanda tessellate or Pluchea lanceolata is used as rasna). Ethanol extract of the plant shows anti- inflammatory activity. It also showed anti-ulcer activity in rats, which has been attributed to the anti secretory and cytoprotective properties of the plant. Unani physicians use A. galanga as a sex tonic. In mice the drug caused a significant gain in the weight of the sexual organs and increased sperm motility and sperm count [2], It shown that essential oil from the rhizome was found active against gram positive and negative microorganisms. Insecticidal activity of the volatile oil from rhizome was also described. Alcoholic extract of these rhizomes produced hypothermia and amphetamine toxicity in mice. Bronchospasm induced by pilocarpine is counteracted by small doses of the tincture. The anti ulcer activity in seeds is also studied Alpinia calcarata Rosc. A. calcarata is known as lesser galangal. Granthimula is the rhizome of the plant A. calcarata, which is often cultivated and seen as an escape in eastern and southern India. Various vernacular names are given to this species also and are: Assam: Hindi: Orissa: Malayalam: Tamil: Telugu: Sugandhi Bach Safed Kulanjana Toroni Chittaratha Nattarattai Dumparastramu Rhizome horizontal and branched; individual pieces tortuous, size ranging from 3-10cm in length and 5-10mm diameter in cross section; deep brownish 111
orange externally, pale buff color internally; prominently marked with wavy annulation at the nodes with scaly leaf bases; internodal length ranges from 6-12mm, fracture is very tough, uneven and fibrous : odour, pungent; taste, spicy. TS circular in outline; epidermis single layered; yellowish oil globule present in many cells of the inner rows of the cortex of polygonal thin walled parenchyma of different sizes; parenchymatous cells of the inner cortex contain plenty of oval or circular starch grains with concentric striations; vascular bindles many, scattered, more, grouped towards the centre; sclerenchymatous bundle sheath present. Powder: Reddish brown in colour, microscopy shows following structures: Oval to elliptical starch grains 10-20μ in size; parenchymatous tissue fragments with polygonal and elongated cells; elongated pitted stone cells with a narrow lumen of 50-200μ in length and a few thin walled pitted stone cells with larger lumen; reddish brown and light yellow resinous pieces; cells with densely compact masses of starch granules; annular, reticulate, scaliform and spiral vessels. References 1. Anonymous. 1985. The Wealth of India. National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources, New Delhi. p. 195. 2. Anonymous. 1992. Selected Medicinal Plants of India. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan s Swami Prakashananda Ayurveda Research Centre. Chemexcil. pp. 30-31. 3. Arnason T.J., Mata R., Romeo T.J. 1994. Phytochemistry of Medicinal Plants. Recent Advances in Phytochemistry. Vol. 29. Plenum Press. New York. 4. Jiang ke., Delin, W. and Larsen, K. (2000). Zingiberaceae, Flora of China 24: 322 377. 5. Khare C.P. (Ed). 2007. Indian Medicinal Plants. An Illustrated Dictionary. Springer (India) Private Limited. New Delhi. p. 37. 6. Lewis H.W., Elvin F.P.M. 2003. Medical Botany. Plants affecting Human Health. 2 nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons. Hoboken.New Jersey. Identity, Purity and Strength Foreign matter: Not more than 2% Total Ash: Not more than 7%. Acid- insoluble Ash: Not more than 3% Alcohol- soluble Extractive: Not less than 5% Water-Soluble Extractive: Not less than 6% 112