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Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd.
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English Name |
Great Galangal, |
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Latin name |
Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd. |
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Family & Genus |
Zingiberaceae, Alpinia |
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Description |
Perennial clustered herbs, plant up to 2m.Rhizomes lumpy, with joints, brown-red and slightly spicy fragrance. Leaves oblong or lanceolate, 2 rows, 25-35cm long, 6-10cm wide, apex short acute or acuminate, base gradually narrow, glabrous on both sides or long hairs below, margin brown when dry, petioles ca. 6mm long, ligules linear, ca. 5mm long. Panicles acrogenous, 20-30cm long, rachis with hairs, multi-branched, 2-4cm long, each branch with flowers, bracts and bracteoles both late falling, bracteoles lanceolate, 5-8mm long, flowers green-white, refreshing fragrance, calyx tubular, 0.6-1cm long, persistent, corolla tube 0.6-1cm long, lobes oblong, 1.6-1.8cm long, pleurogenous degenerative stamens fine or linear, purple, 0.2-1cm long, inferior ovary, glabrous, style slender, stigma slightly inflated, labellum obovoid, ca. 2cm long, white, with red strings, 2 parted, filaments ca. 1cm long, anthers ca. 7mm long. Capsules oblong, 1-1.5cm long, middle part slightly contractive, brown or date red when mature, smooth or slightly shriveled, thin, not cracked, fragile, with 3-6 seeds. Flowering: May to August; fruiting: September to November. |
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Distribution |
Growing under dank forests in ravines at altitude 100-1,300m, in thickets and tussocks. Distributed in Taiwan, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi and Yunnan. Widely distributed in tropical regions of Asia. The medicinal materials are produced in Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Yunnan, Sichuan and etc. |
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Part Used |
Medical part: dried or nearly mature fruits. Chinese name: Hongdoukou. |
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Harvest & Processing |
The herb will bloom and yield fruits on the third year of planting. Harvested fruits when they turn red from Nov- Dec, collected the clusters, spread out in open air for 4-7 days, threshed when peels turn to crimson, removed the dried branches and clear and sun-dried. |
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Chemistry |
Mainly contains Methyl cinnamate, camphor and cineol, etc. |
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Pharmacology |
Phlegm-dissipating and anti-ulcer. |
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Properties & Actions |
Pungent, warm.Warming stomach, dispersing cold, promoting qi-flowing for suppressing pains. |
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Indications & Usage |
Cold pain of gastric cavity, vomiting and diarrhea due to improper diet.Oral administration: decocting, 3-5g; or made as pills pr powders. External application: appropriate amount, fresh products smashed for application. |
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Examples |
Treat joint numbness, skin pruritis, bite by snakes, insects and scorpions: an appropriate amount of fresh root of Great galangal, pestled and apply externally. |
| Link to |
 Chinese Medicinal Material Images Database
Chinese Medicine Specimen Database
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