Alpinia galanga (Greater galangal , Java galangal) Special information

'The Glossary of Vegetable Drugs in Bșhattſayi', however, advises us to use the root and mentions that it is A.galanga which is being used as a substitute for this drug in south India. It also adds that the synonyms of rāsnā such as eluparni, rasnā, yuktarasa and gandhamula are appropriate for Pluchea lanceolata and warns us against using Vanda roxburghii and such other orchids.

On the contrary, 'Wealth of India, and Indian Medicinal Plants' identify rāsnā and its synonyms as Vanda tessellata (V.roxburghii). For Pluchea lanceolata the former gives rāsnā as its Sanskrit name. Both these attribute to Vanda tessellata all the properties and uses mentioned in Ayurvedic texts for rāsnā. However, while 'Wealth of India' recommends the whole plant of Pluchea lanceolata for medicinal purposes. `Indian Medicinal Plants used in Ayurvedic preparations' (A.C.Dey, 1980) also identifies rāsnā as Vanda tessellata.

While Dr A. Lakshmipathi (1946) in '100 useful Drugs' identifies rāsnā as another variety of Alpinia species, Alpinia officinarum, Dr A.Nesamani in his `Auşadhasasyannal' considers this as still another species i.e. A.calcarata. "Bhāvaprakāśanighanțu' gives three Latin names for rāsnā viz. Pluchea lanceolata, Inula racemosa and Vanda roxburghii. Again Sāligrāmanighanțu bhūṣaṇam' identifies rāsnā as Vanda roxburghii or Pluchen lanceolata. Shri K.M.Vaidya in his `Aștāngahțdayakośam' uses Vanda ro.xburghii as its Latin name.

In recent publications it is seen reported that Pluchea lanceolata, Vanda roxburghii and Alpinia galanga, all have antirheumatic properties and that from experimental studies it has been proved that Plauchea lanceolata is more effective than the others as a drug for rheumatic complaints.

It has to be pointed out, however, that the descriptions of the plant rāsnā mentioned by the Acāryās in the ancient texts have no similarities to Vanda tessellata.

Pluchea lanceolata which is abundantly available in north India is not at all seen in south India. Though the 'Glossary of Vegetable Drugs in Bșhattſayi' mentions that many of the synonyms given for rāsnā are appropriate for P. lanceolata, we have to point out that the words sugandhamula and ēlāparni which have certain particular connotations are more appropriate to Alpinia galanga than to Pluchea lanceolata.

"Indian Medicinal Plants', 'Materia Medica' (K.M. Nadkarni) and 'Wealth of India' identify a plant with the Sanskrit name kulañjana as Alpinia galanga. But 'Bhāvaprakāśam' “Rājanighaņțu' and `Nighanțuratnākaram' mention rāsnā and kulañjana as two different plants and give them different properties. The following quotations from them will make this clear:

कुलजो गन्धमूलश्च तीक्ष्णमूलः कुलञ्जनः । कुलञ्जः कटुतिक्तोष्णो दीपनो मुखदोषनुत् ॥ (रा.नि.) ("Kulanjo gandhamūlasca tikşņamulah kulanjanah Kulanjah katutiktosno dipani mukhadosanut" (Ra.ni.)]

'कुलिञ्जनं कटुस्तिक्तमुष्णं चाग्निप्रदीपनम् । रुच्यं स्वयं च हृद्यं च मुखकण्ठविशुद्धिकृत् ।। मुखदोषं कर्फ श्वासं कासं वातं ध्रुवं जयेत् । बृहत्कुष्ठगुणैर्जेयं न्यूनमस्मादिति स्मृतम् ॥ (नि.र.) ["Kuliñjanam kațustiktamuşnam cagnipradipanam Rucyam svaryam ca hrdyam ca mukhakanthavisuddhikrt Mukhadõşam kapham svasam kasam vātam dhruvam jayēt Brhatkusthagunairjneyam nyunamasmāditi smrtam" (Ni.ra.)]

'सुगन्धाप्युग्रगन्धा च विशेषात्कफकासनुत् । सुस्वरत्वकरी रुच्या हृत्कण्ठमुखशोधनी ॥ स्थूलग्रन्थिः सुगन्धा स्यात् ततो हीनगुणा स्मृता ।" (भा.प्र.) ["Sugandhāpyugragandhā ca viśēsātkaphakāsanut Susvaratvakari rucyā hrtkanthamukhaśodhani Sthūlagranthiḥ sugandhā syāt tato hinaguņā smrtā" (Bhā.pra.)]

The Kerala publications like 'Öșadhinighantu', 'Ayurvēdaviśvakoşam' and Sanskrit-Malayalam Dictionary' (Kanippayoor Sankaran Nambudirippad) give the Malayalam terms cittaratta and pēraratta for nākuli and gandhanākuli, respectively. Amarakośa, of course, gives these two synonyms for rasna. On the other hand the Commentaries on 'Bhavaprakasamm, Rājanighantu' etc., identify, nākuli as Rauvolfia serpentina (cuvanna amalpori). The author of 'Dravyagunavijnan', however, identifies, nakuli as Aristolochia indica (karalayam).

Though there is such a lot of confusion in the identity of this plant, in Kerala the rhizome of Alpinia galanga is used as rāsnā. Besides, A.galanga, two other species of the plant A.calcarata and A.malaccensis are available in plenty in the market. They are known as pēraratta in Malayalam and their shizomes are also used in the formulations.