Medicinal Plants No 29

Alpinia galanga (Linn.) Willd. Zingiberaceae (आईक-कुलम्) )

Eng : Greater galangal, Java galangal Hin : Kulañajn, Kuliñjan (, POSTA) Kan : Doddarasagadde (destra) Mal

: Aratta, Cittaratta (MOOCOO), angocoros) San : Räsnā, Sugandhamulā (THT, TTT) Tam: Arattai, Perarattai ( 9135, CUTITS) Tel : Dumparaştramu (w2030.300)

Distribution : Throughout the Western Ghats, also cultivated The plant: A perennial, aromatic, rhizomatous herb, 1.8 - 2.1 m in height;

leaves oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, acuminate, very shortly petioled, ligule short, rounded, ciliate; flowers fragrant, greenish white with red veined lips, in dense panicles; fruits capsules orange red when

ripe. Parts used: rhizomes Properties and uses : The rhizomes are bitter, acrid, thermogenic,

aromatic, nervine tonic, stimulant, revulsive, carminative, stomachic, disinfectant, aphrodisiac, expectorant, bronchodilator, febrifuge, anti-inflammatory and tonic. They are useful in vitiated conditions of vāta and kapha, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammations, stomatopathy, pharyngopathy, cough, asthma, bronchitis, hiccough, dyspepsia, stomachalgia, obesity, diabetes, cephalalgia, tubercular glands and intermittent fevers.

रास्ना युक्तरसा स्याच्छ्रेयस्या श्रेयसी रसा युक्ता । सुवहा सुगन्धमूला रस्या सा गन्धनाकुली चेति ।। (अ.म.) ("Rāsnā yuktarasā syācchr@yasyā srēyasi rasa yuktā Suvanā sugandhamula rasyā sā gandhanākuli cēti" (A.ma.)

रास्ना युक्तरसा रस्या सुवहा रसना रसा । एलापर्णी च सुरसा सुगन्धा श्रीयसी तथा ॥ (भा.प्र.) ("Rāsnā yuktarasā rasyā suvahā rasana rasā Elapari ca surasā sugandha śrēyasi tatha " (Bha.pra)]

"विशेषाद्वातरोगघ्नी तैलादिषु नियोजिता । विषघ्नी श्वासकासघ्नी रास्ना हिक्कानिवारणी ।। (म.नि.) ["Viśēşadvātarogaghni tailădişu niyojita Vişaghni śvāsakāsaghni rāsnā hikkānivāraņi" (Ma.ni.)]

रास्नामपाचनी तिक्ता गुरूष्णा कफवातजित् । शोफश्वासमीराम्रवातशूलोदरापहा ।। कासज्वरविषाशीतिवातिकामयहिध्महत् ।। (भा.प्र.) ("Rāsnāmapācani tiktā gurūşņā kaphavātajit Sõphasvasasamirāsſavātaśūlodarāpanā Kāsajvaravişāsītivātikāmayanidhmahſt" (Bhā.pra.)]

रास्ना गुरुश्च तिक्तोष्णा विषवाताम्रकासजित् । शोफकम्पोदरश्ळेष्मशमन्यामस्य पाचनी ॥ (ध.नि.) ["Rāsnā guruśca tiktoşņā vişavātāssakāsajit Sõphakampõdaras!ēşmasamanyāmasya pācan" (Dha.ni.)]

रास्ना तिक्ता गुरुश्चोष्णा पाचन्यामविनाशिनी । वातरक्तं विषं श्वासं कासं च विषमज्वरम् ॥ शोर्फ हिक्कां चामवातं कर्फ शूलं विनाशयेत् । ज्वरं कम्पं चोदरं च सर्वान् वातांश्च नाशयेत् ॥ (शा.नि.) ["Rāsnā tiktā guruścõşņā pācanyāmavināśini. Vātaraktam visam śvāsam kāsam ca visamajvaram Sõpham hikkām cāmavātam kapham sūlam vināśayēt Jváram kampam cõdaram ca sarvān vātāṁsca nāśayēt" (Sā.ni.)]

रास्ना तिक्ता गुरूष्णामपाचनी कफपित्तहा । निहन्ति शोफवाताम्रश्वासकासविषज्वरान् ॥ हिमाशीतामवाताढ्या वातशूलोदराणि च । (कै.नि.) ("Rāsnā tiktā guruşņāmapacani kaphapittahā Nihanti sõphavātāsraśvāsakāsavişajvaran Hidhmāśitāmavātādhyā vātaşūlõdarāņi ca" (Kai.ni.)]

'रास्नोष्णा वातशोफामवातवातामयान् जयेत् ।" (सो.नि.) ["Rāsnöşņā vātasophāmavātavātāmayān jayēt" (So.ni.)]

'comooooomnowYLLY (leumconDOOOOMNo." (OP...) ["Arattayusnamayulludipanam kaphavatajit" (Gu.pa.)]

Remarks: 'The Ayurvedic Formulary of India' identifies rāsnā as Pluchea

lanceolata C.B.Clarke and recommends Alpinia galanga (L.)Willd. as a substitute for it specifying the parts to be used in different formulations. In 'Dravyaguņavijñān' Prof.P.V.Sharma (1983) also uses the same identification. According to him it is the leaf which is to be used in different formulations.