Where is the producing area of Galangal (Alpinia officinarum) of the Zingiberales order? Introduction to harvest time and effects

Galangal (Alpinia officinarum), a traditional Chinese medicine name, is cylindrical in shape, mostly curved, with branches, 5-9cm long, 1-1.5cm in diameter. The surface is brownish-red to dark brown, with fine longitudinal wrinkles and grayish-brown wavy rings, the internodes are 0.2-1cm long, and one side has circular root scars. So, where is the producing area of Galangal of the Zingiberales order? When is it generally harvested? What effects does it have?

I. Where is the producing area of Galangal of the Zingiberales order? When is it generally harvested?

Galangal is mainly produced in Guangdong and Hainan. It is generally harvested in late summer and early autumn, with the fibrous roots and residual scales removed, washed clean, cut into sections, and sun-dried.

II. What effects does Galangal have?

1. Warming the middle and relieving pain

The water extract and ether extract of Galangal have a synergistic effect of elevating transaminases. Both extracts have certain effects on anesthetized mice, but the ether extract has a stronger effect. Experiments have proven that the extract of Galangal has an obvious pain-relieving effect, and it is used as an analgesic in clinical practice.

2. Treating digestive tract inflammation

According to experiments, the water extract of Galangal can counter water-immersion stress ulcers in mice and hydrochloric acid-induced ulcers in rats, so it can be used to treat gastritis, gastric ulcers, and intestinal inflammation caused by excessive gastric acid secretion.

3. Treating diarrhea

The water extract of Galangal can also promote gastrointestinal digestion and is very effective against diarrhea caused by castor oil. In addition, it also works against diarrhea caused by senna leaf, and can treat diarrhea and abdominal pain caused by food poisoning or improper diet.

4. Regulating blood circulation

Galangal has a pain-relieving effect on cardiac angina, and has a delaying effect on mild angina in which epinephrine causes arteriolar blood flow to stop or slow down. It also has a delaying effect on the contraction time of vessel diameter.

III. People who should avoid it

People with yin deficiency and heat should not take Galangal. People with high blood pressure and hemorrhoids are also not suitable to use it.