Black Ginger

Overview

Black Ginger is originally found in the North and Northeast of Thailand. It is found in tropical areas such as Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo Island, and Thailand. This plant has been widely used in Thai traditional medicine for a long time, and nowadays, it has been selected as one of the promoting herbal drugs and has long been used for men sexual enhancement in Thailand.

Vernacular Names

Kalahood (India, Bangladesh), Krachai dam (Thailand), Gamin-ni (Burmese), Ingwer (German), Cekur hitam (Malaysia).

Agroecology

This is a tropical plant, and can only be grown successfully outdoors. This plant prefers humid conditions, part sun to shade, very rich, well draining soil.

Morphology

• Rhizomes - small and of deep purple colour.
• Leaves - 8-16 cm long, thin, rounded at the base, plain green. The petiole is short and channeled.
• Flowers - few in a sessile central tuft. The bracts are 2.5 cm, lanceolate and green. The calyx is longer than the bract. The corolla-tube in 3 cm; segments are greenish, 1 cm long, upper ascending and rather concave. The lip is 0.75-1.0 cm, subemarginate with the anther-crest obtuse and broad as the long.

Cultivation

• It is propagated by division.
• The soil or compost must be free-draining, or the roots will rot. This plant is quite particular about the growing conditions.

Chemical Constituents

5,7-dimetocxyflavon, 5,7,4-trimetoxyflavon, 5-hidroksi-3,7-dimetoxyflavon, tetramethoxyflavone, 3,5,7,3 ′, 4′-pentamethoxyflavone, glycosides, kaempferiaosides A-F.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

Medicinal Uses

• The rhizome also has been used in the treatment of gout, aphthous ulcer, peptic ulcer and abscesses.
• Reported to be an aphrodisiac compound and physical enhancer.
• It has anti-plasmodial, anti-inflammatory, adaptogenic activity, anti-allergic, antioxidant activity, antifungal, and antimycobacterial activity.
• Studies have shown that it improves erectile function, increasing sperm density.
• According to research it increases physical fitness performance and muscular endurance.
• It helps to lower blood glucose levels and to improve blood flow.
• It helps with gastric ulcers and used as a natural antidepressant.
• Considered as a treatment agent for Alzheimer’s disease

Traditional Uses

• In Thailand, the rhizome had been promoted for health and treatment of digestive disorders and gastric ulcer. Also has some historical and medicinal usage for treating metabolic ailments and improving vitality. It is also famous as a natural viagra as it contains substantial amounts of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5 inhibitors), which act like the Viagra, but without the negative side effects.
• Thai traditional doctors are using black ginger for the prevention of strokes.