USE
Food
Medicine
Ornamental
SCIENTIFIC NAME / FAMILY
Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex Baker / Zingiberaceae
SYNONYMS
Kaempferia rubromarginata (S.Q.Tong) R.J.Searle
Stahlianthus rubromarginatus S.Q.Tong
OTHER NAMES
Eng: Thai ginseng
Thai: krachai dum
Botanical Description
Kaempferia parviflora is a tuberous or rhizomatous herb, 6–10 cm tall, with 2–8 spiral to alternately arranged leaves. Each plant produces numerous elliptic tuberous roots with purple or black flesh. The leaves are ovate or elliptic, 4–7 cm wide, 7–11 cm long, with acute or acuminate apices, cuneate bases, truncate or semi-cordate, entire margins, glabrous upper surfaces, hairy underneath. Petioles are about 15 cm long, green, and glabrous. The leaf sheaths are triangular, about 5 cm long, and membranous. The ligule is bi-lobed and triangular, about 2 cm long. The erect inflorescences arise from the center of a leafy shoot with peduncle 4–7 cm long. The flower is white with a purple center. Calyx tube: 1.8–2 cm long, glabrous, white. Floral tube: 3–3.2 cm long, apex with three lobes, linear, about 2.5 mm wide, 1.2 cm long, apex rounded. The lip is white with purple marks, broadly ovate, 0.8–1 cm wide, 1.2–1.6 cm long. The staminode is white, oblong, about 3 mm wide, 1–1.3 cm long and the anther is about 3.5 mm long and wrapped around the stigma. The ovary is about 2 mm long. The bracts are oblong, 6 mm wide, 1.8–2.5 cm long, with rounded apices. The bracteoles are linear, 1–2 mm wide, 0.6–1.2 cm long, with rounded apices.
Description of Use
Black ginger is an important traditional medicine and its rhizome has been used as a folk medicine for many centuries. Oil extracted from the tubers may have anti-malarial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. Tubers are used to treat many diseases and conditions. Black ginger tea is widely used by Hmong ethnic populations and is believed to have many health-giving properties. Traditionally, Hmong people carried a tuber at all times when traveling far from home. They drink black ginger tea when tired from hard work to cleanse the blood and act as a restorative.
Benefits of black ginger for the treatment of disease:
1. Tonic (boil with chicken soup). 2. Treats symptoms of weakness and fatigue. 3. Helps to maintain male hormones. 4. Reduces gas in the stomach. 5. Relieves colic. 6. Improves flow of urine. 7. Helps to drive menstruation and protects against abnormal dysmenorrhea. 8. Alleviates red eye symptoms. 9. Stimulates the nervous system. 10. Nourishes the blood. 11. Helps to nourish the heart. 12. Treats gout. 13. Relieves stomachache. 14. Helps to maintain a balanced digestive system. 15. Helps to treat diabetes and reduce sugar in the blood. 16. Supposed aphrodisiac.
References / Citations
Motaleb, M. A., Hossain, M. K., Alam, M. K., Mamun, M. M. A. A. and Sultana, M. 2013. Commonly used Medicinal Herbs and Shrubs by Traditional Herbal Practitioners: Glimpses from Thanchi upazila of Bandarban. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Dhaka, Bangladesh, pp 1-294.
Saensouk, S., Saensouk, P and Chanshotikul, N. 2017. Diversity and traditional uses of Zingiberaceae in Nong Khai Province, Thailand. KKU Sci. J. 45(3) 574-594.
Paiwan Sudwan, Kanokporn Saenphet, Supap Saenphet and Songkiet Suwansirikul. 2006. Effect of Kaempferia parviflora Wall. Ex. Baker on Sexual Activity of Male Rats and its Toxicity. SOUTHEAST ASIAN J TROP MED PUBLIC HEALTH Vol 37 (suppl 3)
Pitakpawasutthi, Y., Palanuvej, C., Ruangrungsi, N. 2018. Quality evaluation of Kaempferia parviflora rhizome with reference to 5,7-dimethoxyflavone. Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research 9(1):26-3.
