Galangal
Scientific Name(s): Alpinia galanga., Alpinia officinarum Hance., Kaempferia galanga L.
Common Name(s): Ankaferd BloodStopper, Blue ginger, Chewing John, China root, Chinese ginger, East Indian root, Galanga, Galangal root, Greater galangal (A. galanga), Kulanjan, Laos, Lesser galangal (A. officinarum), Little John chew, Rhizoma galangae
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 5, 2021.
Clinical Overview
Use
Clinical trials are lacking, with the majority of support for therapeutic use relying on in vitro and animal data or anecdotal and traditional claims. Potential applications may arise from antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.
Dosing
There are no clinical studies of galangal monotherapy to provide a basis for dosage recommendations. A combination of galangal and ginger rhizome extracts was used at a dose of 510 mg/day to improve pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Contraindications
Contraindications have not yet been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
Clinical studies and case reports are lacking.
Toxicology
Information is limited.
Scientific Family
- Zingiberaceae (ginger)
Botany
Galangal is a reed-like perennial herb with stems growing up to 1 m high that are covered by sheaths of narrow lanceolate leaves. Its inflorescence is a short raceme of white flowers that are veined and shaded in dull red. The plant has been cultivated for the rhizomes in India, China, and Southeast Asia. Galangal rhizomes appear on the market as branched or simple rhizome fragments with wavy, reddish-brown annulations of the leaf bases that have an aromatic, spicy, and pungent odor and flavor. Galangal is from the same family as ginger, the Zingiberaceae, but the species are not equivalent, and also should not be confused with the unrelated "galingale" from the genus Cyperus.1, 2 A synonym is Languas galanga (L.) Stuntz.
History
The rhizomes of galangal and its derivatives have been used for their aromatic stimulant, carminative, and condiment properties, much like ginger, and are extensively used in Asian cuisine. Young inflorescences and leaves are eaten raw in salads in Asia. Galangal oil is used to flavor French liqueurs and is also used in some tobaccos. The "ginger" of Thailand is obtained from A. galanga. The large, ordinary, preserved ginger of China is also derived from A. galanga. A. galanga (greater galangal), containing the volatile oil essence d'Amali, is used in China and northern India for various respiratory complaints in children, particularly bronchial catarrh (mucous membrane inflammation). Other traditional uses include the treatment of rheumatism, ulcers, incontinence, fevers, microbial infections, bad breath, whooping cough, throat infections, and diabetes.2, 3
Chemistry
Galangal contains a greenish-yellow volatile oil composed of cineo; eugenol; sesquiterpenes; isomers of cadinene; a resin containing galangol, kaempferide, and galangin; as well as starch and other constituents. The rhizomes are abundant with flavonoids and phenolic acids, and reviews of the constituents have been published. 2, 3, 4
Uses and Pharmacology
Clinical trials are lacking, with the majority of support for galangal’s therapeutic use relying on in vitro or animal data or anecdotal and traditional claims.
