Alpinia zerumbet

Scientific name: Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm.

Synonym: Alpinia speciosa (J. C. Wendl.) K. Schum.

Synonym 2: Costus zerumbet Pers.

Botanical family: ZINGIBERACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Martinique:

atoumo

Other vernacular names

Martinique:

atoumo, à-tous-maux

Colombia:

Matandrea

Geographical distribution

Native to Asia. Cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.

Botanical description

Herb of up to 3 m in height, growing in clusters. Narrowly elliptic leaves, up to 70 cm long and 10 cm wide, acuminate apex, cuneate base, glabrous to dense and often pubescent. Inflorescence a raceme or pendulous thyrse, bracts absent; bractlets widely elliptical, white with a red apex; corolla 4 to 5 cm long, almost glabrous, white with red apex, ovate labellum, yellow with red stripes. Globular capsule, 2 cm in diameter.

Voucher(s)

Longuefosse&Nossin,1,HAVPM

flu

leaf, decoction, taken orally¹

For flu:
prepare a decoction with 30 grams of chopped leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water; boil for 5 minutes. Cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day²¹.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for flu is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity trial and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the flu persists for more than 7 days, seek medical attention.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 12 years.

TRAMIL Work¹⁷
The freeze-dried aqueous leaf extract (decoction, 5 g/kg/5 days) orally in Swiss ICR mice (5 females and 5 males), with the control made with distilled water (0.5 ml/animal/day) in another 10 mice of the same strain and characteristics, with an observation period of 3 weeks after the end of the treatment administration period, presented a 30% mortality during the administration of the extract, which indicates that the LD₅₀ is above 5 g/kg. In the observation and weight variables, no statistically significant differences were found in the four weeks of observation. (z-test and Student’s t-test). The necropsies of the individuals who died in the interval of the study showed enlargement of the spleen and the caecum.

The LD₅₀ of the hydroalcoholic leaf extract (50%) in mice was 10.0 ± 2.5 g/kg orally and 0.76 ± 0.12 g/kg via the intraperitoneal route¹⁸.

The aqueous extract (infusion, 3 g/200 ml of water) from fresh leaves (15 ml/kg/30 days), orally in rats, did not induce signs of macro or microscopic toxicity¹⁸.

The aqueous and ethanolic (95%) dried leaf extracts (50%) were
not toxic in fish¹⁹.

The raw hydroalcoholic (70%) leaf extract, 250 mg/day at 13 and 500 mg/day in 8 adult humans with moderate hypertension, for 6 weeks, orally, produced no changes in biochemical or haematological tests and there were no apparent signs of toxicity²⁰.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The essential oil has monoterpenes: bornyl acetate, camphor, linalool, nerolidol².

The leaf has monoterpenes: bornyl acetate, cis/trans-thujanol³, dimethoxy-1,8-cineol⁴, camphene⁵; cuminaldehyde, γ-terpinene, terpineol³, p-cymene^5-7, terpinolene^5-6, 4-terpinenol⁴, thymol⁶, terpinen-4-ol, 1,8-cineole⁸; sesquiterpenes: caryophyllene^3,5, caryophyllene oxide⁶, muurolene³; α-pyrones: alpinia as a dimer⁹ and dihydrokavain^9-10; sterols: sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol¹¹; phenylpropanoids: cytosine B and coniferyl, syringin and lignan: dihydro benzofuranpropanol¹¹; flavonoids: kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide rutin¹².

TRAMIL Works^13-14

The decoction of 50% fresh flower, as well as fresh aerial parts, in vitro (100 μl/well), had no activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29737), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 1003), Enterobacter cloacae or Candida albicans (ATCC 10231).

With the aqueous leaf extract in vitro in an antiviral model, the IC50 was 30 μg/ml to inhibit the activity of the neuraminidase enzyme; this protein is essential in the life of the influenza virus¹⁵.

The essential oil of the leaf orally (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg body weight), in male Swiss mice (20-25 g) with contortion, hot plate and formaldehyde-induced oedema models, showed a significant dose dependent analgesic effect¹⁶.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 LONGUEFOSSE JL, NOSSIN E, 1990-95
Enquête TRAMIL. Association pour la valorisation des plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe AVPMC, Fort de France, Martinique.

2 DUNG NX, CHINH TD, RANG DD, LECLERCQ PA, 1994
Constituents of the flower oil of Alpinia speciosa K. Schum. from Vietnam. J Essent Oil Res 6(4):433-434.

3 PRUDENT D, PERINEAU F, BESSIERE JM, MICHEL G, BRAVO R, 1993
Chemical analysis, bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties of the essential oil of the atoumau from Martinique (Alpinia speciosa K. Schum.). J Essent Oil Res 5(3):255-264.

4 POOTER HLD, ABOUTABLE EA, EL-SHABRAWY AO, 1995
Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil of leaf, stem and rhizome of Alpinia speciosa (J. C. Wendl.) K. Schum grown in Egypt. Flavour Fragrance J 10(2):63-67.

5 LUZ AIR, ZOGHBI MGB, RAMOS LS, MAIA JGS, SILVA ML, 1984
Essential oils of some Amazonian Zingiberaceae, 3. genera Alpinia and Rengalmia. J Nat Prod 47(5):907-908.

6 BEZERRA MAC, LEAL-CARDOSO JH, COELHO-DE-SOUZA AN, CRIDDLE DN, FONTELES MC, 2000
Myorelaxant and antispasmodic effects of the essential oil of Alpinia speciosa on rat ileum. Phytother Res 14(7):549-551.

7 GOTTLIEB OR, KOKETSU M, MAGALHAES MT, GUILHERME S MAIA J, MENDES PH, DA ROCHA AI, DA SILVA ML, WILBERG VC, 1981
Essential oils of Amazonia.VII. Acta Amazonica 11:143-148.

8 VICTÓRIO CP, ALVIANO DS, ALVIANO CS, LAGE CLS, 2009
Chemical composition of the fractions of leaf oil of Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm. and antimicrobial activity. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 19(3):697-701.

9 FUJITA T, NISHIMURA H, KABURAGI K, MIZUTANI J, 1994
Plant growth inhibiting alpha-pyrones from Alpinia speciosa. Phytochemistry 36(1):23-27.

10 LIAO MC, ARAKAKI H, LI YP, TAKAMIYAGI A, TAWATA S, ANIYA Y, SAKURAI H, NONAKA S, 2000
Inhibitory effects of Alpinia speciosa K. Schum on the porphyrin photooxidative reaction. J Dermatol 27(5):312-317.

11 OBATA T, SAWABE A, MORITA M, YAMASHITA N, MATSUBARA Y, 1995
Several steroids and phenylpropanoid glycosides isolated from leaves of getto (Alpinia speciosa K. Schum). Yukagaku 44(11):1012-1014.

12 VICTÓRIO CP, LAGE CL, KUSTER RM, 2009
Flavonoid extraction from Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt et Smith leaves using different techniques and solvents. Eclética Química 34(1):19-24.

13 BOUCOURT E, MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, 2010
Evaluación de la actividad antimicrobiana del extracto acuoso de las flores frescas de Alpinia zerumbet. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, C. Habana, Cuba.

14 BOUCOURT E, MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, 2010
Evaluación de la actividad antimicrobiana del extracto acuoso de las partes aéreas frescas de Alpinia zerumbet. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, C. Habana, Cuba.

15 UPADHYAY A, CHOMPOO J, KISHIMOTO W, MAKISE T, TAWATA S, 2011
HIV-1 integrase and neuraminidase inhibitors from Alpinia zerumbet. J Agric Food Chem 59(7):2857-2862.

16 CHAVERRI M, GARCÍA-GONZALEZ M, 2013
Toxicidad aguda dosis repetida, en ratones, de la decocción liofilizada de hoja de Alpinia Zerumbet. Informe TRAMIL. LIPLAMED. Depto. de Fisiología, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.

17 DE ARAUJO PF, COELHO-DE-SOUZA AN, MORAIS SM, FERREIRA SC, LEAL-CARDOSO JH, 2005
Antinociceptive effects of the essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet on mice. Phytomedicine 12(6-7):482-486.

18 MENDONÇA VL, OLIVEIRA CL, CRAVEIRO AA, RAO VS, FONTELES MC, 1991
Pharmacological and toxicological evaluation of Alpinia speciosa. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 86(Suppl2):93-97.

19 VIEIRA JEV, BARROS GSG, MEDEIROS MC, MATOS FJA, SOUZA MP, MEDEIROS MJ, 1968
Pharmacologic screening of plants from Northeast Brazil. II. Rev Brasil Farm 49:67-75.

20 VARGAS JHA, CARVALHO JCT, 2010
Study of the efficacy and clinical safety of Alpinia speciosa (JC Wendl.) K. Schum crude extract on arterial hypertension. International J of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research 4(1):27-33.

21 LONGUEFOSSE JL, 1995
100 Plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe. Martinique: Gondwana Editions. p37.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Alpinia zerumbet

Vernacular names

Martinique:

Martinique:

Colombia:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

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