Page 116 - Pharmacognosy 02-06203

Rhizomes containing volatile oils

1- Ginger.
2- Galangal.
3- Curcuma 4- Valerian.

1- Ginger (Zangabeel) ‫الزنجبيل‬

Dried scrapped or unscraped rhizomes of Zingiber officinale family
Zingiberaceae. The plant which yields the official ginger is grown in many
tropical countries (India, Africa, China and Australia).

Constituents:
1- Volatile oil (1-2%)

Monoterpenes and Sesquiterpenes.
2- Pungent oleoresins (gingeriol, zigiberone and shagaol).

Pungency is destroyed by alkalies (eg: KOH) due to the changing of
the phenolic compounds to salts.
Uses:
1- Stimulant and carminative.
2- Flavouring agent (largely used as a condiment than as a drug).
3- Anti-emetic due to direct action on the GIT.
4- Molluscicidal against Schistosoma mansoni.
5- Analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
6- Antiviral against rhino viruses (common cold).

Adulteration:
1- Japanease ginger

Its V. O. differs in physical properties; it gives a bergamot-like odour.
Detected by presence of compound starch and being less pungent. 2-

Exhausted ginger
Usually as powder, the starch is gelatinized and the odour is less.

3- Foreign starch or saw dust

114