Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Shunthi) -Ginger

 

—*Family – Zingiberaceae

*—Botanical Name -  Zingiber officinale Roscoe

*—English Name- Ginger(dried)

*—Morphology – It is slender perennial rhizomatous herb. Leaves – 15-30 cm long ,2-3 cm broad.                        Rhizomes are thick ,lobed & aromatic  

      

 Attributes

     Dry ginger

—*Rasa (Taste)      –                          Katu(Pungent)

  *Vipaka  (Post digestive effect) – Madhur (Sweet)

  *Veerya  (Potency)  –                    Ushna (Hot)

*Guna (properties)                       Laghu(light) , Snigdha (unctuous)                                    

 *Dosh       –                                   Alleviate Kapha Vata

 

 Wet Ginger 

*Rasa(Taste)  –                                Katu

*Vipaka(Post digestive effect) –    Madhur

  *Veerya (Potency) –                        Ushna

*Guna(Properties) –                       Guru, Ruksh,  Tikshna

*Dosh -                                             Alleviate Kaphavata

 

Action  

—External – Prepare a paste of Shunthi powder in water . Apply it on forehead, to alleviate              the headache due to colds, sinusitis etc.

                Apply a paste of Shunthi & Turmeric powder in boils.

 

— Internal – Digestant, Appetizer,  used in Diarrhoea, Dysentery,  Vomiting, Flatulence,

                   pain in Abdomen,  Rheumatoid arthritis

 

 

Internal –(Wet Ginger) 

—*Chew a small piece of ginger with little salt before meals, to improve the appetite

 & taste to cleanse the tongue & throat.

 

*—The same ,with Saindhava (rock salt) ,mitigates indigestion, constipation & flatulence

 

*—The Svarasa( juice) of ginger (2-3 tsp) with Madhu (honey) (1-2 tsp) is benevolent in Pratisyaya( colds), Kasa (cough) & Swas( asthma)

 

*—Dried ginger binds the stools by absorbing the water content , whereas the fresh ginger breaks down the faces.

 

—*Ginger should be used sparingly in summer & conditions of vitiated Pitta Dosh.

 

 Internal-Dry ginger 

 *Shunthi by itself is highly praised as the best remedy for Vata diseases. 

 *Mix 1/2tsp.Shunthi powder ,1 tsp. jaggery & pinch of rock salt. it improves the taste sensation. 

*Prepare a mixture by mixing the powders of dried ginger, black pepper & long pepper 

   in equal proportion . It is salutary in Kapha diseases.

 

 Chemical Composition -

   Protein ,  Carbohydrate , Ca, Ph, Iodine, 

                  Adraka – Vit A , B ,C 

    Shunthi – Protein , starch 

 

* —Parts used  – Kanda (Rhizome –Underground Stem)

—

—*Dose - Svarasa(Juice) – 5-10 ml

            Choorna(Powder) – 1-2 gm

 

*—Formulations – Adraka khanda , Panchsama choorna(Powder) ,  Samasharkar choorna, Rasnadi kwath(Decoction), Saubhagya shunthi

 

 (**Note- Do consult your doctor before taking any medicine)