Zingiber cassumunar
Encyclopedia
Cassumunar ginger: Zingiber cassumunar, now thought to be a synonym of Zingiber montanum (J.König) Link ex A.Dietr. , is a species of plant in the ginger
family and is also a relative of galangal
. The rhizomes (root) of variant Roxburgh is used medicinally in masssage and even in food in Thailand
, called plai (ไพล), and somewhat resembles ginger root or galangal.
In fact, in Thailand there are three names, (ว่านไฟ wan-fai) in Isan language
and (ปูเลย bpulai) in Northern Thai language
.
A Japanese scientific paper studying the plant concluded that (E)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)but-1-ene was an active ingredient having analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Plai oil has also been found to exhibit antimicrobial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, dermatophytes and yeasts by an American study. Separate research discovered that substance zerumbone contained in the plant also has antifungal properties against pathogenic fungi.
The plant also contains the essential oils sabinene
31-48%, terpineol
4-30%, and apparently unique Curcuminoid antioxidants, namely Cassumunarin types A, B, and C.
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
family and is also a relative of galangal
Galangal
Galangal is a rhizome of plants of the genus Alpinia or Kaempferia in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, with culinary and medicinal uses originated from Indonesia...
. The rhizomes (root) of variant Roxburgh is used medicinally in masssage and even in food in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, called plai (ไพล), and somewhat resembles ginger root or galangal.
In fact, in Thailand there are three names, (ว่านไฟ wan-fai) in Isan language
Isan language
Isan language is the collective name for the dialects of the Lao language as they are spoken in Thailand. It is spoken by approximately 20 million people, which is nearly one-third of the entire population of Thailand, predominantly in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. There are also large...
and (ปูเลย bpulai) in Northern Thai language
Northern Thai language
Northern Thai, Lanna, or Kham Mueang is the language of the Thai Yuan people of Lannathai, Thailand. It is a Tai language, closely related to Thai and Lao...
.
A Japanese scientific paper studying the plant concluded that (E)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)but-1-ene was an active ingredient having analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Plai oil has also been found to exhibit antimicrobial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, dermatophytes and yeasts by an American study. Separate research discovered that substance zerumbone contained in the plant also has antifungal properties against pathogenic fungi.
The plant also contains the essential oils sabinene
Sabinene
Sabinene is a natural bicyclic monoterpene with the molecular formula C10H16. It is isolated from the essential oils of a variety of plants including holm oak and Norway spruce...
31-48%, terpineol
Terpineol
Terpineol is a naturally occurring monoterpene alcohol that has been isolated from a variety of sources such as cajuput oil, pine oil, and petitgrain oil. There are three isomers, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-terpineol, the last two differing only by the location of the double bond...
4-30%, and apparently unique Curcuminoid antioxidants, namely Cassumunarin types A, B, and C.