Hedychium in Traditional Healing Systems: An Ethnobotanical Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2026/v152i3/170939Keywords:
Ethnobotany, Ginger lily, Hedychium, Traditional medicine, Zingiberaceae.Abstract
Hedychium J. Koenig., is a genus in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae and is commonly seen in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. They are mainly used in ornamental and medicinal purposes. Traditionally, the genus Hedychium has been used as medicine and in cultural ceremonies. Each part of the plant has its own unique healing properties. The Indian traditional system of medicine especially Ayurveda preferred various combination of this genus for the treatment of digestive, respiratory and inflammation related diseases. Rhizome of the plants of this genus is ginger like and have spicy flavour, so it is commonly used as food supplements. Rhizome is the major part that having great medicinal potential. Almost all the species of Hedychium possesses various kind of ethnomedicinal value.
References
Aziz, M. A., Habib, M. R. and Karim, M. R. (2009). Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activities of Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig, Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, 5(6): 969–972.
Begossi, A. (1996). Use of ecological methods in ethnobotany: Diversity indices, Economic Botany, 50(3): 280–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907333
Bhaigyabati, T.H., Devi, P. G. and Bag, G. C. (2014). Total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of aqueous rhizome extract of three Hedychium species of Manipur valley, Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences, 5(5): 970–976.
Bhatt, V. P., Negi, V. and Purohit, V. K. (2009). Hedychium spicatum Buch.-Ham.: A High Valued Skin Glowing and Curing Medicinal Herb Needs Future Attention on its Conservation, Nature and Science, 7(9): 75–77.
Bisht, G. S., Awasthi, A. K. and Dhole, T. N. (2006). Antimicrobial activity of Hedychium spicatum, Fitoterapia, 77(3), 240–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2006.02.004
Castro, J. A., Brasileiro, B. P., Lyra, D. H., Pereira, D.D., Chaves, J. L. and Amaral, C. L. F. (2011). Ethnobotanical study of traditional uses of medicinal plants: The flora of caatinga in the community of Cravolândia-BA, Brazil, Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5(10), 1905–1917.
Chaithra, B., Satish, S., Hegde, K. and Shabaraya, A. R. (2017). Pharmacological review on Hedychium coronarium Koen: The white ginger lily, International Journal of Pharma and Chemical Research, 3(4), 831–836.
Christenhusz, M. J. and Byng, J. W. (2016). The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase, Phytotaxa, 261(3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1
Coe F.G. and Anderson G.J. (2005). Snakebite ethnopharmacopoeia of eastern Nicaragua. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 96(1–2): 303–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2004.09.026
Dai, D. N., Huong, L. T., Thang, T. D. and Ogunwande, I. A. (2014). Chemical constituents of essential oils of the leaves of three species of croton from vietnam, Chemistry of Natural Compounds, 50(1): 155–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10600-014-0898-8
Daimei, P. and Kumar, Y. (2014). Ethnobotanical uses of gingers in Tamenglong district, Manipur, Northeast India, Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 61(1): 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-013-0054-5
Das, R. and Nayak, R. K. (2023). Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig rhizome, International Journal of Herbal Medicine, 11(1): 01–05. https://doi.org/10.22271/flora.2023.v11.i1a.846
Devi A.D., Singh T.C., Devi O.I., Singh S.S., Singh A.R. and Singh E.J. (2015). Phytochemical Analysis of Some Traditional Aromatic Plant Species of Thoubal District , Manipur, Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology, 5(1): 50–53.
Devi, A. D., Singh, T. C., Devi, O. I., Singh, S. S., Singh, A. R., & Singh, E. J. (2015). Phytochemical Analysis of Some Traditional Aromatic Plant Species of Thoubal District , Manipur, Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology, 5(1): 50–53.
Giri, D., Tamta, S. and Pandey, A. (2010). A review account on medicinal value of Hedychium spicatum Buch-Ham ex Sm: Vulnerable medicinal plant, Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 4(25): 2773–2777.
Hamilton, A., Shengji, P., Kessy, J.K., Khan, A.A., Lagos-Witte, S. and Shinwari Z.K. (2003). The purposes and teaching of applied ethnobotany. In: People and Plants working paper (Martin, W. Ed.), WWF, Godalming, UK, Pp 3-13.
Jatoi, S. A., Kikuchi, A., San, S. Y., Naing, K.W., Yamanaka, S., Watanabe, J. A. and Watanabe, K. N. (2006). Use of rice SSR markers as RAPD markers for genetic diversity analysis in Zingiberaceae, Breeding Science, 56(2): 107–111. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.56.107
Jatoi, S. A., Kikuchi, A. and Watanabe, K. N. (2007).Genetic diversity, cytology, and systematic and phylogenetic studies in Zingiberaceae, Genes, Genomes and Genomics,1(1): 56-62.
Kasarkar, A. R. and Kulkarni, D. K. (2016). Traditional knowledge of medicines belonging to Family Zingiberaceae from South Western Maharashtra, India, International Journal of Botanical Studies, 1(4): 20–23.
Kulip J., Nawan C., Vairappan C. and Jaumin B. (2020). Ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies on indigenous Zingiber spp. (Zingiberaceae) from Tambunan district, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. Natural Products Chemistry & Research, 8(3): 1–19. https://doi.org/10.35248/2329-6836.20.8.374
Larsen K., Lock J.M., Maas H. and Maas P.J. (1998). Zingiberaceae. In: Flowering Plants Monocotyledons: Alismatanae and Commelinanae (except Gramineae) (Kubitzki, K. Ed.), Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, Pp. 474-495. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03531-3_49
Malla, B., Gauchan, D. P. and Chhetri, R. B. (2015). An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by ethnic people in Parbat district of Western Nepal. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 165: 103–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.057
Mans, D. R. A., Djotaroeno, M., Friperson, P. and Pawirodihardjo, J. (2019). Phytochemical and pharmacological support for the traditional uses of zingiberacea species in Suriname - A review of the literature, Pharmacognosy Journal, 11(6): 1511–1525. https://doi.org/10.5530/PJ.2019.11.232
Misra, R.C. and Sahoo, H.K. (2015). Occurrence of Hedychium flavescens Carey ex Roscoe (Zingiberaceae): A new species record for eastern and central India, E-planet. 13(1): 11-18.
Mohanty, S., Dash, K. T., Ray, A. and Nayak, S. (2023). Volatile profiling coupled with multivariate analysis, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities of rhizome essential oil of four Hedychium species from India, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 317: 116835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.116835
Naik, V.N. and Panigrahi, G. (1961). Genus Hedychium in eastern India, Bulletin of Botanical Survey of India, 3(1): 67-73. https://doi.org/10.20324/nelumbo/v3/1961/76577
Nolan, J.M. and Nancy, J.T. (2011). Ethnobotany: the study of people-plant relationships. In: Ethnobiology (Anderson, N.E., Pearsall, M.D., Hunn, S.E. and Turner, N. Eds.), John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, United States, Pp. 133-147 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118015872
Nontasit, N., Kanlayanapaphon, C., Mekanawakul, M. and Nualmangsar, O. (2015). Taxonomic studies and traditional uses of zingiberaceae in khao luang national park, nakhon si thammarat province, Thailand, Walailak Journal of Science and Technology, 12(8), 643–658.
Pandey A.K. and Tripathi Y.C. (2017). Ethnobotany and its relevance in contemporary research, Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, 5(3): 123–129
Panmei, R., Gajurel, P. R. and Singh, B. (2019). Ethnobotany of medicinal plants used by the Zeliangrong ethnic group of Manipur, Northeast India, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 235: 164–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.02.009
Pholhiamhan, R., Saensouk, S. and Saensouk, P. (2018). Ethnobotany of Phu Thai ethnic group in Nakhon Phanom province, Thailand, Walailak Journal of Science and Technology, 15(10): 679–699. https://doi.org/10.48048/wjst.2018.3737
Pitopang, R., Damry, Rusdi, Hamzah, B., Zubair, M. S., Amar, A. L., Fathurahman, F., Basri, Z. and Poulsen, A. D. (2019). Diversity of Zingiberaceae and traditional uses by three indigenous groups at Lore Lindu National Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, Journal of Physics, 1242(1): 12039. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1242/1/012039
Prasad, P., Ram, J. and Fulara, B. T. (2023). Status of Medicinally Important Herbs along Canopy Disturbance in Quercus leucotrichophora, A. Camus Forest of Central Himalaya, India, Indian Journal of Ecology, 50(3): 750–758. https://doi.org/10.55362/ije/2023/3963
Rachkeeree, A., Kantadoung, K., Suksathan, R., Puangpradab, R., Page, P. A. and Sommano, S. R. (2018). Nutritional Compositions and Phytochemical Properties of the Edible Flowers from Selected Zingiberaceae Found in Thailand, Frontiers in Nutrition, 5: 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2018.00003
Ramirez, C. R. (2007). Ethnobotany and the loss of traditional knowledge in the 21st century, Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 5, 245–247. https://doi.org/10.17348/era.5.0.241-244
Ranjarisoa, L. N., Razanamihaja, N., & Rafatro, H. (2016). Use of plants in oral health care by the population of Mahajanga, Madagascar, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 193: 179–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2016.07.076
Ray, A., Jena, S., Kar, B., Patnaik, J., Panda, P. C. and Nayak, S. (2019). Chemical composition and antioxidant activities of essential oil of Hedychium greenii and Hedychium gracile from India, Natural Product Research, 33(10): 1482–1485. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2017.1416384
Saensouk, P. and Saensouk, S. (2021). Diversity, traditional uses and conservation status of zingiberaceae in Udorn Thani Province, Thailand, Biodiversitas, 22(8): 3083–3097. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d220801
Sanoj, E., Sabu, M. and Pradeep, A.K. (2013). Circumscription and lectotypification of Hedychium villosum and its variety H. villosum var. tenuiflorum (Zingiberaceae), PhytoKeys, 25: 75–85. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.25.4113
Sarangthem, N., Talukdar, N. C. and Thongam, B. (2013). Collection and evaluation of Hedychium species of Manipur, Northeast India, Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 60(1): 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-012-9810-1
Saryan, P., Gupta, S. and Gowda, V. (2020). Species complex delimitations in the genus Hedychium: A machine learning approach for cluster discovery, Applications in Plant Sciences, 8(7): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11377
Savithramma, N., Sulochana, C. and Rao, K. N. (2007). Ethnobotanical survey of plants used to treat asthma in Andhra Pradesh, India, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 113(1): 54–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2007.04.004
Shah, A., Bharati, K. A., Ahmad, J. and Sharma, M. P. (2015). New ethnomedicinal claims from Gujjar and Bakerwals tribes of Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, India, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 166: 119–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.01.056
Silalahi, M., Nisyawati, Purba, E. C., Abinawanto, D. W. and Wahyuningtyas, R. S. (2021). Ethnobotanical Study of Zingiberaceae Rhizomes as Traditional Medicine Ingredients by Medicinal Plant Traders in the Pancur Batu Traditional Market, North Sumatera, Indonesia, Journal of Tropical Ethnobiology, 4(2): 78–95. https://doi.org/10.46359/jte.v4i2.54
Singh S.K. and Srivastava S.C. (2020). Zingiberaceae. In: Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Monocotyledons) (Mao, A. A. and Dash, S. S. Eds.), Pp. 116-134, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
Singh, T. T. and Sharma, H. M. (2018). an Ethnobotanical Study of Monocotyledonous Medicinal Plants Used By the Scheduled Caste Community of Andro in Imphal East District , Manipur ( India ), Life Science Informatics Publication, 4(4): 55–72. https://doi.org/10.26479/2018.0404.04
Sirirugsa, P. (1998). Thai Zingiberaceae : Species Diversity And Their Uses, Pure and Applied Chemistry, 70(11): 23–27. https://doi.org/URL: http://www.iupac.org/symposia/proceedings/phuket97/sirirugsa.html
Skaria, B. P., Joy, P. P., Mathew, G. and Mathew, S. (2005). Zingiberaceous plants in traditional medicine. In: Proceedings of National Seminar on Role of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha Systems of Medicine. 4 March 2005 4-5
Sravani, T. and Paarakh, P.M. (2011). Hedychium spicatum Buch. Ham. - an overview, Pharmacologyonline, 2: 633-642.
Tavares, W. R., Barreto, M.D. and Seca, A. M. (2020). Uncharted Source of Medicinal Products: The Case of the Hedychium Genus. Medicines, 7(5): 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines7050023
Thomas, S. and Mani, B. (2023). Chemical composition of rhizome essential oil of Ginger Lily (Hedychium) from the Western Ghats, India, Indian Journal of Natural Product and Resources, 14(4): 602-610. https://doi.org/10.56042/ijnpr.v14i4.5735.
Tomlinson, P. B. (1956). Studies in the systematic anatomy of the Zingiberaceae, Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Botany, 55(361): 547–592. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1956.tb00023.x
Tribess, B., Pintarelli, G. M., Bini, L. A., Camargo, A., Funez, L. A., De Gasper, A. L. and Zeni, A. L. B. (2015). Ethnobotanical study of plants used for therapeutic purposes in the Atlantic Forest region, Southern Brazil, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 164: 136–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.02.005
Tushar, Basak S., Sarma G.C. and Rangan L. (2010). Ethnomedical uses of Zingiberaceous plants of Northeast India, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 132(1): 286–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.08.032
Valadeau, C., Castillo, J. A., Sauvain, M., Lores, A. F. and Bourdy, G. (2010). The rainbow hurts my skin: Medicinal concepts and plants uses among the Yanesha (Amuesha), an Amazonian Peruvian ethnic group, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 127(1): 175–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.024
Vásquez, J., Alarcón, J. C., Jiménez, S. L., Jaramillo, G. I., Gómez-Betancur, I. C., Rey-Suárez, J. P., Jaramillo, K. M., Muñoz, D. C., Marín, D. M. and Romero, J. O. (2015). Main plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of snake bites n the regions of the department of Antioquia, Colombia. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 170: 158–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.04.059
Wardana, S. T. (2023). Ethnomedicinal approach of zingiberaceae in traditional medicine of the Kerinci tribe , Jambi , Indonesia, International Journal of Biology Research, 8(2): 5–7.
Wongsuwan, P. and Picheansoonthon, C. (2011). Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Hedychium J. Koenig (Zingiberaceae) in Thailand, The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand, 3: 126–149.
Yazbek, P. B., Matta, P., Passero, L. F., Santos, G. D., Braga, S., Assunção, L., Sauini, T., Cassas, F., Garcia, R. J. F., Honda, S., Barreto, E. H. P. and Rodrigues, E. (2019). Plants utilized as medicines by residents of Quilombo da Fazenda, Núcleo Picinguaba, Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil: A participatory survey. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 244: 112123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.112123
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Unless otherwise stated, copyright or similar rights in all materials presented on the site, including graphical images, are owned by Indian Forester.
