Scientific Name: Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd.

Common Names: Galanga

Family: Zingiberaceae

Other Names: Kha Yuak, Kha Luang (Northern Thailand), Katuk Karo Hini (Central Thailand)

Botanical Characteristics:

• Type: Herbaceous plant
• Height: 1.5-2 meters
• Rhizome: Distinct nodes and internodes
• Leaves: Simple, alternate, lanceolate or nearly oblong, 7-9 cm wide, 20-40 cm long
• Flowers: Inflorescences at the apex, small white flowers with red streaks on the largest petal, egg-shaped bracts
• Fruit: Dry, dehiscent, globular

Medicinal Properties:

• Relieves bloating and flatulence
• Treats food poisoning
• Cures urticaria
• Treats fungal and bacterial skin infections

Usage and Dosage:

• For bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting, and stomach pain:
  • Use fresh mature galanga rhizome, about 1-1 ½ inches long (or approximately 2 finger breadths), pound finely, add lime water, and drink ½ cup each time, 3 times daily after meals.
• For urticaria:
  • Use fresh mature galanga rhizome, pound finely, add enough alcohol to make a paste, and apply the mixture to the affected area frequently until symptoms improve.
• For fungal and bacterial skin infections:
  • Use fresh mature galanga rhizome, approximately thumb-sized, pound finely, mix with alcohol, and apply to the affected area several times until healed.

Chemical Components:

• 1-acetoxychavicol acetate
• Essential oils containing monoterpenes such as 2-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, cineole, camphor, linalool, and eugenol