Ramesh Kumar Verma*, Neeraj Sharma
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
*Address for Corresponding Author
Ramesh Kumar Verma
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
Abstract
India is very well known for medicinal aromatic plants used for the treatment of various diseases which are day by day diminishing from the nature. Green plants represent a big source of bioactive compounds. Alpinia galanga (Linn.) of the Zingiberaceae family is one of those medicinally important plants. Many countries cultivate this plant, including Indonesia. This plant has numbers of benefits, ranging from being used as a food flavoring, which creates a distinctive aroma in cooking. Active compounds such as 1,8-cineol, α-fenchyl acetate, β-farnesene, β-bisabolene, α-bergamotene, β-pinene, and 1’-acetoxychavicol acetate from the Alpinia galanga plant. Among all the bioactive compounds, 1,8-cineol known as a marker compound in the Alpinia spp provides strong biological activity. This plant can also be used as a treatment for various diseases. The rhizome of the plant is used as a carminative, digestive tonic, anti-emetic, anti-fungal, anti-tumor, Anti-helmintic, anti-diuretic, anti-ulcerative, anti-dementia. The extract of rhizome shows anti-tubercular activity, hypothermia, bronchial catarrh, tonic, stomachic, and stimulant. It is also used as pungent, bitter, heating, stomachic, improve appetite, disease of heart, aphrodisiac tonic, expectorant, used in heal, ache, lumbago, rheumatic pains, chest pain, diabetes, burning of the liver, kidney disease, disinfectants. The rhizome is also used as an anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and flavoring agent. The seeds are used as cardiotonic, diuretic, hypotonic, gastric lesions, antiplatelet, anti-tumor, and anti-fungal. The tubers of this plant are used as carminative, irritant action, whooping cough in children, Bronchitis, anti-asthma, dyspepsia, fever, and diabetes mellitus.
Keywords: Rasna, Kulanjan, Sugandha Vacha, Greater galangal, Alpinia galanga
