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Botany
An erect shrub, 0.5 to
1.0 meters high. Leave are smooth, the lower surfaces hairy, lanceolate
to oblong-lanceolate, 10-50 cm long, 3-11 cm wide, with slender pointed
tip. Ligule is prominent, 1-3 cm long. Ellipsoid spike at the end of
the stem, 5-12 cm long. Bracts are green, ovate to obovate, about 4
cm long, and each with 2 or 3 flowers with a fragrance that is more
pronounced in the evening. Calyx is tubular, clefted on one side, and
about 4 cm long; lobes are narrow, involute, and about 4 cm long. Lip
is obovate, 5-6 cm in diameter, white or pale yellow in the center.
Staminodes are white, oblong-elliptic, narrowed at the base, 4-5 cm
long and 2-2.5 cm wide.
Distribution
Cultivated for ornamental
use; in some places, naturalized.
Parts
utilized
Rhizome, stems.
Chemical constituents
and properties
Dried rhizome contains: starch, 3 %; glucose, 4.5 %; albumen, 1.6 %;
fats, 0.33%; resinous acid, 3.6%; resin, 5.9 %; gum, 13.7 %; organic
acids, essential oil. the flower yields a fragrant essential oil; the
rhizome, a volatile oil.
Decoction of the rhizome is anti-rheumatic, tonic and excitant.
In Ayurveda, considered febrifuge, tonic,
stimulant and antirheumatic.
Uses
Culinary
Young buds and
flowers are edible. Used as flavoring.
Roots used as famine food.
Folkloric
Decoction of stems near
the rhizome used as a gargle for tonsillitis; or the raw stem chewed
for same purpose.
The juice of the stem applied externally for swellings.
In India, sold in bottles of extract called
Gulbakawali Ark; used as eye tonic and for to prevent eye cataracts.
In Chinese medicine, used for headache,
inflammatory pains, rheumatism.
Others
In the provinces, the
fragrant flowers popular in the making of wreaths and bridal bouquets.
Stems are 45% cellulose, used in making paper.
Studies
• Antifungal / Antimicrobial: The
essential oil from fresh and dry rhizomes yielded 44 and 38 constituents
and was shown to have antifungal and antibacterial effects. Antibacterial
effects were higher in the fresh sample than the dried; both showed
activity against Trichoderma sp. and C. albicans, B. subtilis and P
aeruginosa.
• Analgesic
/ Anti-inflammatory: Different
extracts of HC exhibited significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory
activities. The effects could be due to inhibition of prostaglandin
synthesis, inhibition of histamine and/or serotonin
• Antioxidant
/ Anti-inflammatory: Five
genus of Zingiberaceae plants from Taiwan, including Hedychium, were
studied for their functional properties. Hedychium sp. were found to
have antioxidant properties. Most Zingiberaceae plant extracts exhibited
antimicrobial activity against all food microorganisms; Hedychium did
not show activity against E. coli and Vibrio parahemolyticus.
Availability
Cultivated and wildcrafted.
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