Kaempferia angustifolia Roscoe

Kaempferia angustifolia Roscoe, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 8: 351 (1807).

Kaempferia angustifolia Roscoe; Photo Diep Dinh Quang

Vietnamese name: 

Địa liền lá hẹp, Thiền liền lá hẹp

Latin Name: 

Kaempferia angustifolia Roscoe

Synonym Name: 

Kaempferia angustifolia Roxb.; Kaempferia roxburghiana Schult.; Kaempferia undulata Link

Family: 

Zingiberaceae

Description: 

It is a small perennial herb producing leaves up to 20cm long from a tuberous base. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.

Flowering: 

in May - July.

Distribution: 

It is found in E. Asia - eastern India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia. In VietNam, It is found in Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City (Thu Duc)

Ecological: 

The tree grows naturally under forest canopy and milpa, at an altitude of up to 1200 m.

Cultivation Details: 

Species in this genus generally prefer a position in partial shade, growing best in a moist, well-drained, fertile, humus-rich soil.

Chemistry: 

Phytochemical investigation on rhizomes of Kaempferia angustifolia has afforded a new abietene diterpene, kaempfolienol along with crotepoxide, boesenboxide, 2′-hydroxy-4,4′,6′-trimethoxychalcone, zeylenol, 6-methylzeylenol, (24S)-24-methyl-5-lanosta-9(11), 25-dien-3-ol, sucrose, beta-sitosterol, and its glycoside.

Pharmacology: Cytotoxic screening indicated that most of the pure compounds tested showed significant activity with 2′-hydroxy-4,4′,6′-trimethoxychalcone showing the most potent activity against HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia) and MCF-7 (human breast cancer) cell lines. However, all extracts and most of the pure compounds tested were found to be inactive against HT-29 (human colon cancer) and HeLa (human cervical cancer) cell lines. Similarly, none of the extracts or compounds showed activity in the antimicrobial testing

Parts used: 

Radix

Use: 

The small roots and tubers have astringent properties and are used in the treatment of coughs, dysentery and diarrhoea. The watery main rhizome is considered cooling.

Reference:

- theplantlist.org

- efloras.org

- ipni.org

- tropical.theferns.info

- Sook Wah Tang, Mohd Aspollah Sukari, Bee Keat Neoh, Yunie Soon Yu Yeap, Ahmad Bustamam Abdul, Nurolaini Kifli, and Gwendoline Cheng Lian Ee; Phytochemicals from Kaempferia angustifolia Rosc. and Their Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activities; BioMed Research International; Volume 2014, 6 pages