संस्कृत नाम- महाभारीवचा
Botanical name - Alpinia galanga
Description - A herbaceous plant up to 2 meter in height leaves long, narrow, green above, pale beneath, whitish on margins, median nerve very strong. Flowers about 3cm long, greenish white, in compound dense bunches; lip of corolla white, streaked with red. Fruit orange-red, size of small cherry. Rhizome slightly aromatic Rhizomatic herbs with oblong lanceolate leaves and round ligules. Flowers greenish-white, streaked with red, in panicles. Capsule globose Adulterant: Rhizome of this plant is a substitute for ginger.
Chemical_Constituents- It contains volatile oil with cineol, and methyl cinnamate, and a pungent oil body, galangol. It also contains kaempferide, galangin and monomethyl ether of galangin. Rhizomes yield essential oil containing methyl cinnamate, cineol, camphor, alpha -pinene, phenolic constituents p-hydroxy-cinnamaldehyde. Leaves yield essential oil containing methyl cinnamate. Seeds contain diterpene galangal A and B, labne derivative, antiulcer principles 1-acetoxychavicol acetate and 1-acetoxyleugenol acetate, caryophyllene oxide, caryophyllenol I, II, pentadecane, 7-heptadecane and fatty acid methyl esters and flavonids. Oil contains methyl eugenol and caryophyllene, myrcene
Uses - It is stimulant, carminative, and expectorant.It is useful in coughs, flatulent dyspepsia, colds and sore throat. Rhizome of the plant is useful in rheumatism, respiratory complaints, specially of children and in bronchial catarrh. The drug is also considered useful in stomach complaints and as a tonic, deodorant disinfectant. It is a stimulant aromatic like ginger. Seeds used in colic, diarrhoea and vomiting