Siamese-ginger

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Siamese-ginger
• greater galanga
• languas
• Galanga
• greater galangal

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hellenia alba
• Zingiber galanga
• Languas galanga
• Galanga officinalis
• Alpinia viridiflora
• Alpinia zingiberina
• Alpinia rheedei
• Amomum galanga
• Alpinia pyramidata
• Zingiber medium
• Alpinia carnea
• Alpinia galanga var. pyramidata
• Alpinia bifida
• Amomum medium
• Languas vulgare
• Languas pyramidata
• Heritiera alba
• Maranta galanga

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Alpinia galanga, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Zingiberales and the family Zingiberaceae. Its specific taxonomic classification is completed within the genus Alpinia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions of Asia. Within China, it is found spanning from the South-Central provinces to the Southeast regions. Its presence is also noted on the tropical island of Hainan. Furthermore, the species is distributed throughout Eastern Asia, specifically in Taiwan. Finally, its range extends into the Indian Subcontinent, where it is found in Assam.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Alpinia galanga is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a member of the Zingiberaceae family, it functions as a geoptye, relying on its specialized underground rhizomes for nutrient storage and survival during dormant periods. This life form is further classified under the broader category of a cryptophyte, as its vital regenerative organs are concealed beneath the soil surface, protecting them from environmental fluctuations and ensuring long-term continuity of the species.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Alpinia galanga is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, typically reaching a plant height with a mean of approximately 2 m. As a terrestrial organism, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies, growing instead as an independent plant rather than a parasite. The structure is self-supporting, lacking the characteristics of a liana, vine, or any other climbing habit. Furthermore, it is classified strictly as a herb, distinguishing it from shrubs, trees, or graminoids in its physical development.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Alpinia galanga is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutrient acquisition processes, which govern its growth and development within tropical environments. As a plant utilizing the C3 photosynthetic pathway, it fixes carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle, relying on the enzyme Rubisco to facilitate carbon assimilation, which is typical for many members of the Zingiberaceae family. Furthermore, Alpinia galanga is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; instead, it depends on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil through its root system to meet its nitrogenous requirements for protein synthesis and cellular function.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Alpinia galanga has 6 reported plant parts identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include rhizome, root, seed, fruit, leaf.

Rhizome

1. Natural product research
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology
4. Molecular nutrition & food research
5. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)

Root

1. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
2. Ancient science of life

Seed

1. Journal of medicinal food
2. Natural product research

Fruit

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Leaf

1. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

Stem

1. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

Chemicals

Alpinia galanga has 128 reported phytochemicals identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1'-Acetoxychavicol acetate, Galangin, 1,8-Cineole, alpha-TERPINEOL, camphor.

1'-Acetoxychavicol acetate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food microbiology
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
5. Scientia pharmaceutica

Galangin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
4. Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao = Journal of Chinese integrative medicine
5. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

alpha-TERPINEOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

camphor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

(E)-Methyl cinnamate

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

BETA-PINENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

BORNYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

Borneol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

Flavonoids

1. Molecular nutrition & food research
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Activities

Alpinia galanga has 440 reported activities identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Abortifacient, Antibacterial, Antidementia.

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular nutrition & food research
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao = Journal of Chinese integrative medicine

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antidementia

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of medicinal food
2. Planta medica

Antiobesity

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food

Antiproliferative

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Medicinal Uses

Alpinia galanga has 50 reported medicinal uses identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, diabetes mellitus, multiple myeloma, Acinetobacter baumannii, Ascaris lumbricoides.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations