Kaempferia galanga (Cekur)
Scientific Classification
Kingdom : Plantae , SubKingdom :
Tracheobionta
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida, Subclass : Zingiberidae
Order : Zingiberales
Family : Zingiberaceae
Subfamily : Zingiberoideae
Genus : Kaempferia
Species : galanga L.
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida, Subclass : Zingiberidae
Order : Zingiberales
Family : Zingiberaceae
Subfamily : Zingiberoideae
Genus : Kaempferia
Species : galanga L.
The genus Kaempferia is named after the German botanist
Engelbert Kaempfer (1651–1716). Kaempfer’s most important achievement was the
first thorough description of Japanese flora by a European scientist.
Vernacular Name
•CHINESE : Shan nai, Sha jiang.
•ENGLISH : resurrection lily, Lesser galangal.
•HINDI : Chandramula.
•GERMAN : Kleiner Galgant.
•MALAY : Chekur.
•INDONESIAN : Kencur . Kencur is derived from Sanskrit 'kachora' which means another plant
•RUSSIAN : Kempferiya galanga.
•THAI : Proh hom.
• PHILIPPINES : Dusol
History
There are no history for the uses of K. galanga in other ethnic except fot the malays and the Javas(Indonesian).
Botany - Morphology
LEAVES
Smooth, stemless herb
arising from tuberous aromatic rootstocks with fibrous cylindric roots. Leaves
are solid green, horizontally spreading, orbicular to broadly ovate, 7-15 cm
long, with rounded base.
FLOWERS
FLOWERS
The
flowers are at the cuntre of the plant, small and inconspicious but absolutely
beautiful. The colour is primarily white and purple in the middle. Flowers are
few, about 4-6. with lanceolate bracts. Corolla tube is slender, 2-3 cm long
with a lip cleft in the middle. Staminodes are obovate, about 1-2 cm long.
RHIZOMES
Dried
Rhizome and Fresh Rhizome
The shape is like
fingers (That is why it is called finger root). It ia very aromatic. It
resembles ginger in shape in that the subunits are flat (elliptical
cross-section), but it is much smaller (5 cm). It has a dark reddish-brown
skin, and the soft interior is nearly white.
Physiology
The
will go completely dormant in late fall, even in the tropics where it is
native. During dormancy care should be taken not to keep the soil too wet, but
during the growing season it should be grown in well drained woodland soil kept
regularly watered, and mild applications of fertilizer might be needed if the
soil is low in nitrogen
The reproduction is through rhizomes and sexually through the production of flower
The reproduction is through rhizomes and sexually through the production of flower
Habitat
In open grasslands at
low and medium altitudes. It is best planted in a humid and covered area. It is
a native of south India. It is found primarily in open areas in southern China,
Taiwan, Combodia and India. It is also widely cultivated throughout Southeast
Asia. As an ornamental, it makes an interesting groundcover. It will go
completely dormant in late fall, even in the tropics where it is native. During
dormancy care should be taken not to keep the soil too wet, but during the
growing season it should be grown in well drained woodland soil kept regularly
watered, and mild applications of fertilizer might be needed if the soil is low
in nitrogen. In Malaysia, it is planted as
an ornamental plant and also to be used as ingredient in culinary .
Properties
- Chemical constituents and characteristic
Rhizome
contains a volatile oil and small amounts of cinnamic acid ethyl ester,
borneol, camphene, cineol, paraumarin, cinnamic acid, and anisic acid.• Also
contains a small amount of alkaloid. Also, a lot of starch, gum, and mineral
matter. Rhizomes are carminative, stimulant, expectorant and diuretic. The
rhizome contains about 2.5 to 4% essential oil, whose main components are ethyl
cinnamate (25%), ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (30%) and p-methoxycinnamic acid;
furthermore, 3-carene-5-one was found (Phytochemistry, 26, 3350, 1987). Other
literature reports 4-butylmenthol, β-phellandrene, α-terpineol, dihydro-β-sesquiphellandrene,
pentadecane and 1,8-cineol. The
rhizome is also reported to display cytotoxic properties. (Chem. Pharm.
Bull., 33, 3565, 1985).
ETHNOBOTANY
OF K. galanga
K.
galanga is grown for medicine and also as spice. The
parts that are used are the leaves and the rhizomes. So generally the whole
plant is being used. The leaves are edible and the malays eat it as 'ulam'. The
rhizome can be used as herbs, culinary and also medicine.
In
Bali, the balinese used it to cook roasted roast
duck bebek betulu. The food is a favourite among tourists. A whole duck is rub
inside and outside with a paste that are
made of onions, ginger, lemon grass, chilies and kencur, wrapping in banana
leaves, the duck is first steamed and then roasted in an oven which makes the
meat extraordinarily tender.
In other parts of Asia, it is not known as a spice, though it is widely cultivated as a medicinal herb. It has, though, some culinary usage in China, particularly in the cooking of the Sichuan province. IT is always used dried in Chinese cooking. Chinese cookbooks often refer to it as “sand ginger”, translated from Chinese sha jiang .
In other parts of Asia, it is not known as a spice, though it is widely cultivated as a medicinal herb. It has, though, some culinary usage in China, particularly in the cooking of the Sichuan province. IT is always used dried in Chinese cooking. Chinese cookbooks often refer to it as “sand ginger”, translated from Chinese sha jiang .
Among the malays in
Kedah, the young leaves are use as one of the spices for the delicious nasi
ulam.
The malays also use the rhizome
- as a tonic after giving birth. It is
believe to stimilate the contraction of the uterus.
- as herbs to relief indigestion.
- also can be used as remedy for mestrual
pain
- as remedy for acne
Commercial
Use
Now
the plant is widely cultivated in Malaysia, Indonesia and Philipine as a
medicinal herbs. There are a lot of traditional/alternative medicine that use
this plant as an ingredient in their products . Here are a few examples
products from K. galanga.
KENCUR
INSTANT - IMMERSE IN HOT WATER AND DRINK
K. galanga : Sold
as tablets - For medicinal purpose
K. galanga :
The ingredients in a facial cleanser -to treat acne
Scientific Studies of K. galanga
•Extracts
of the plant using methanol have shown larvicidal activity against the second
stage larva of dog roundworm (Toxocara
canis).
•
It was also found to be effective as an amebicide in vitro against three
species of Acanthamoeba which cause granulomatous amebic encephalitis and
amebic keratitis.
•In
1999 the rhizome extract was found to inhibit activity of Epstein-Barr virus.
•Further
research has demonstrated that the extract effectively kills larvae of the
mosquito Culex
quinquefasciatus and repels adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, both of which are
serious disease vectors.
•wound
healing activity of alcoholic extract of Kaempferia
galanga in wistar rats: Phytochemical screening revealed the
presence of flavonoids in K galanga with enhanced wound contraction effect that
could be of use in the healing of open wounds.
•Sedative activity of hexane extract of Keampferia galanga L. and
its active compounds: Study results showed considerable sedative and relaxant
effects suggesting a potential for its application in aromatherapy.
Here are some ethnobotanical uses of K. galanga from Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases.
Abdomen
Burkill,1966; Cosmetic
Burkill,1966; Cough
Burkill,1966; Fever
Burkill,1966; Mastitis
Burkill,1966; Ophthalmia
Burkill,1966; Otosis
Burkill,1966; Rheumatism
Burkill,1966; Sore(Throat)
Burkill,1966; Swelling
Burkill,1966
Ache(Head) Woi.5; Ache(Tooth) Bliss; Cancer Hartwell; Carminative Bliss, Keys, Steinmetz, Woi.5; Chill(Veterinary) Woi.5; Cicatrizant Uphof; Dandruff Bliss, Uphof, Woi.5; Diuretic Steinmetz, Woi.5; Dyspepsia Woi.5; Expectorant Steinmetz, Woi.5; Eye Woi.5; Fever Woi.5; Malaria Woi.5; Odontalgia Keys; Pediculicide Bliss, Steinmetz; Perfume Steinmetz; Repellant(Insect) Bliss; Rheumatism Woi.5; Scabies Bliss; Sore(Throat) Woi.5; Stimulant Bliss, Keys, Steinmetz, Woi.5; Stomachic Bliss, Keys; Tumor Woi.5.
Ache(Head) Woi.5; Ache(Tooth) Bliss; Cancer Hartwell; Carminative Bliss, Keys, Steinmetz, Woi.5; Chill(Veterinary) Woi.5; Cicatrizant Uphof; Dandruff Bliss, Uphof, Woi.5; Diuretic Steinmetz, Woi.5; Dyspepsia Woi.5; Expectorant Steinmetz, Woi.5; Eye Woi.5; Fever Woi.5; Malaria Woi.5; Odontalgia Keys; Pediculicide Bliss, Steinmetz; Perfume Steinmetz; Repellant(Insect) Bliss; Rheumatism Woi.5; Scabies Bliss; Sore(Throat) Woi.5; Stimulant Bliss, Keys, Steinmetz, Woi.5; Stomachic Bliss, Keys; Tumor Woi.5.
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