Chinese Ginger

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese Ginger
• Fingerroot
• Chinese-keys
• rotund boesenbergia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Gastrochilus panduratus
• Kaempferia ovata
• Gastrochilus rotundus
• Kaempferia pandurata
• Kaempferia cochinchinensis
• Boesenbergia isanensis
• Boesenbergia pandurata
• Curcuma rotunda
• Boesenbergia cochinchinensis
• Boesenbergia baimaii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Boesenbergia rotunda, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Zingiberales. Ultimately, it is a member of the family Zingiberaceae and the genus Boesenbergia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. Within China, it is specifically located in the South-Central areas. Its presence extends significantly into the Indian Subcontinent, where it can be found in India and Bangladesh. Additionally, the species is documented to grow in the state of Assam. Finally, its range reaches further south into the nation of Sri Lanka.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Boesenbergia rotunda is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term survival and ability to regrow across multiple growing seasons. As a geophyte, it relies on specialized underground storage organs to endure unfavorable environmental conditions, allowing it to persist even when surface growth is dormant. This survival strategy is further supported by its classification as a cryptophyte, meaning its regenerative buds are protected below the soil surface, shielding them from external stressors and enabling the plant to re-emerge periodically to complete its biological cycles.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Boesenbergia rotunda is characterized by a non-woody, herbaceous growth form, functioning as a self-supporting herb rather than a climber or vine. As a terrestrial plant, it does not exhibit aquatic or epiphytic tendencies and operates as an independent organism without parasitic behavior. The plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 0.3 m, maintaining a compact structure consistent with its classification as a non-woody forb.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Boesenbergia rotundum is characterized by its metabolic and nutritional processes, specifically regarding carbon assimilation and nutrient acquisition. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized anatomical adaptations seen in C4 or CAM species. Furthermore, Boesenbergia rotundum is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Boesenbergia rotunda has 4 reported plant parts identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include rhizome, leaf, root, stem.

Rhizome

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
3. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
4. Journal of natural products
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Leaf

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Root

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Stem

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Chemicals

Boesenbergia rotunda has 22 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Pinostrobin, Panduratin A, Pinocembrin, Alpinetin, Flavonoids.

Pinostrobin

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Microbial pathogenesis
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. PloS one

Panduratin A

1. Scientific reports
2. BMC genomics
3. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
4. International journal of molecular sciences
5. Journal of oral biosciences

Pinocembrin

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Microbial pathogenesis
3. Advances in experimental medicine and biology
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. PloS one

Alpinetin

1. Advances in experimental medicine and biology
2. PloS one
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Flavonoids

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. PloS one

Panduratin

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. PloS one

2',4',6'-trihydroxyhydrochalcone

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

4-hydroxypanduratin A

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

BPE

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Cardamonin

1. PloS one

Activities

Boesenbergia rotunda has 9 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antiulcer.

Antioxidant

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of molecular histology
3. Pharmacognosy reviews
4. Biomedical reports

Anticancer

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin

Antibacterial

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of molecular histology

Antiulcer

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Chemopreventive

1. Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin

Hepatoprotective

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Nephroprotective

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Protease-Inhibitor

1. Journal of oral biosciences

Conditions

Boesenbergia rotunda has 31 reported investigations on conditions identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include abscesses, cancer, leukoplakia, leukorrhea, pain.

Abscesses

1. Microbial pathogenesis
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cancer

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Leukoplakia

1. Microbial pathogenesis
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leukorrhea

1. Microbial pathogenesis
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pain

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Alzheimer's disease

1. Biomedical reports

Atopic dermatitis

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Covid-19

1. Scientific reports

Qi

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Sars-cov-2

1. Scientific reports

Preparations

Boesenbergia rotunda has 24 reported preparations identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include cell suspension cultures, chloroform extracts, BPE, Boesenbergia pandurata (B. pandurata) plant extract, Boesenbergia rotunda extract.

Cell suspension cultures

1. BMC genomics
2. PeerJ

Chloroform extracts

1. Parasitology research
2. Mycoses

Bpe

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Boesenbergia pandurata (b. pandurata) plant extract

1. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Boesenbergia rotunda extract

1. Scientific reports

Essential oils

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Etoac fraction (bre)

1. Journal of molecular histology

Cell culture

1. BMC genomics

Chloroform extract of rhizomes

1. Journal of natural products

Crude drugs

1. Fitoterapia