Alpinia (Kholanjan) is a widely used rhizome especially in Indo-Pak for multiple medicinal purposes

1. Alpinia galanga Willd.
04-06-2020

4. Vernacular names
• Family: Zingiberaceae/ Scitaminae
• Arabic Name: Kholanjan
• Urdu Name: Khulanjan, Khalanjan, Kalijan
• English Name: Galangal, Java Galangal
• Not to be Confused With: The rhizome of Kaempferia galanga and other Alpina
species
• Other Names: Galanga, East India Root, Chinese Ginger, China Root, India Root,
East India Catarrh Root, Gargaut, Colic Root, Catarrh Root, Galangal

5. Characteristics and Habitat:
• Lesser' Galanga has a pungent and spicy taste.
• The odor is aromatic, rather like ginger.
• The plant is indigenous to China and entered Europe via India and Arabia in
the Middle Ages.

6. Medicinal Parts
• Dried Rhizomes.

7. Temperament
• Warm (II) and Dry (II)

8. ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
• Volatile oil: chief components-sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene alcohols
• Diarylheptanoids: mixture termed galangol, some of them pungent substances
• Gingerole: phenyl alkanones, pungent substances
• Starch
• Tannin
• Flavonoids: including galangin, galangin-3-methylether, kaempferide

9. Pharmacological
Actions
• Aromatic stimulant,
• Stomachic,
• Carminative,
• Sialagogue,
• Masticatory,
• Ant tuberculous.
• The drug has a slight irritant action on the mucus membrane of the stomach and produces a reflex increase
in bronchial secretion.
EFFECTS
• The plant is said to have antispasmodic, antiphlogistic and antibacterial properties.

10. INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Approved by Commission E:
• Dyspeptic complaints
• Loss of appetite
Unproven Uses:
• Folk medicine uses include painful upper abdominal syndrome of the Roemheld complex type,
sluggish digestion, and for liver and gallbladder complaints. Additional uses include fevers and
colds, cough/bronchitis, tendency for infections, and inflammation of the mouth and pharynx.
Chinese Medicine:
• The drug is used for pain, particularly stomach pain.

11. Specific Action
• Pectoral (especially in tuberculous conditions) and cardiacal.

12. Medicinal Uses
• Galangal being effective against phlegmatic and atrabilious affections included in cardiac tonic, liver and stomach tonic
preparations.
• As a sialagogue and to alleviate stammering it is applied over the tongue or prescribed as masticatory.
• As expectorant and antiphlegmatic recommended largely in asthma, bronchitis, bronchial catarrh, whooping cough and
phlegmatic hoarseness.
• In incontinence of urine, and kidney pain of cold (humoural predominance) origin it is also administered.
• As aphrodisiac included in electuaries (ma'jun) and powders (prescribed for the purpose) especially to the old-age persons.
In children it has more benefit in pectoral affections.
• Therefore as linctus along with honey, betel root and glycyrrhiza it is considered of significance in such complaints.
• Literature reveals that as masticatory, it removes disagreeable (foul) smell in mouth as well as it finds extensive use by
singers in addition to glycyrrhiza.

13. Compound Preparations
• Hab Jadwar,
• Jawarish Ood Shirin,
• Arq Pan,
• Laooq Surfah,
• Lubub Mo'tadil,
• Ma'jun Chob-Chini,
• Ma'jun Khadar,
• Jawarish Jalinus,
• Ma'jun Samagh,
• Ma'jun Muqawwi wa Mumsik,
• Ma'jun Sa'leb.
• Jawarish shahi

15. Dosage
• 2-3 g
Mode of Administration:
• Comminuted drug and powder, as well as other galenic preparations for oral
administration.
Preparation:
• Infusion - Pour boiling water over 0.5 to 1 g drug and strain after 10 minutes.
Daily Dosages:
• The infusion dosage-is 1 cup 30 minutes before meals.

16. Corrigent
• Cochlospermum religiosum (L.) Alston,
• Santalum album Linn.,
• Bambusa arundinacea Retz.
• Pimpinella anisum Linn.

17. Tenedium
• Kababe Khandan (Zanthoxylatum armatum DC.).

18. Precautions and Adverse Reactions
• Health risks or side effects following the proper administration of designated
therapeutic dosages are not reported.

19. Comments
• Large doses or long-term use has harmful effect of desensitizing the
respiratory centers and in general may adversely affect the cardiovascular
system.
• Large doses may arrest urination temporarily.

20. Medicinal potentials of Alpinia galanga
• Alpinia galangal has anti-inflammatory properties and is useful in
rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis. It also contains enzymes,
polysaccharides and nutrients, which exhibit antibacterial effect and acts
against streptococci, staphylococci and coliform bacteria. These properties
are believed to be mediated by different phytochemicals found in the plant,
acting singly or in concert. This paper critically reviews the present state of
scientific knowledge on the medicinal potentials of A. galanga.

21. References and
Articles
• PDR for herbal medicine
• Indusyunic Medicine
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260210914_Medicinal_potentials
_of_Alpinia_galanga

22. THANK YOU