Lesser Galangal

At a glance

Origin / distribution: China, Egypt, India, Turkey, ", US

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Ague, Aphrodisiac, Bactericide, Candida

Science studied: 1,8-CINEOLE, DIOXYFLAVONAL, EO, 5-HYDROXY-7-(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)-1-PHENYL-HEPTANONE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Zingiberaceae

Scientific name: Alpinia officinarum

Common names: Lesser Galangal, Chinese Ginger, Chinese-ginger, Dərman alpiniyası, Echter Galgant, Galanga minore, Galgant, Petit galanga, alpinia lekarska, alpínia liečivá, galanga, galangal, galangal officinal, galgán lékařský, galgán obecný

POWO: 795352-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in China, Egypt, India, Turkey, ", US.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Ague
• Aphrodisiac
• Bactericide
• Candida
• Carminative
• Chill
• Cholera
• Cough

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• China
• Egypt
• India
• Turkey
• "
• US

Documented cultural uses

• Ague
• Aphrodisiac
• Bactericide
• Candida
• Carminative
• Chill
• Cholera
• Cough
• Diabetes
• Dyspepsia
• Enteritis
• Fungicide

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Ague · China · "
• Aphrodisiac · Egypt · "
• Bactericide · India · "
• Candida · India · "
• Carminative · China · "
• Carminative · Turkey · "
• Carminative · Egypt · "
• Carminative · " · "
• Chill · China · "
• Cholera · China · "
• Cough · Egypt · "
• Diabetes · Egypt · "
• Dyspepsia · China · "
• Enteritis · China · "
• Fungicide · India · "
• Gastralgia · China · "
• Halitosis · Egypt · "
• Liqueur · Turkey · "
• Liqueur · Egypt · "
• Malaria · China · "
• Nervine · Egypt · "
• Pyrosis · China · "
• Sialogogue · China · "
• Sialogogue · Turkey · "

14 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Kaempferide in Alpinia officinarum Hance Exerts Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Activity by Inhibiting Mitophagy Through Downregulation of BNIP3L. · 2026 source ↗
• Green synthesis of galangin mediated silver nanoparticles from Alpinia officinarum for antioxidant, antibacterial and antibreast cancer applications and computational studies · 2026 source ↗
• Diarylheptanoid derivatives with α-synuclein aggregation inhibitory activities from the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• 1,8-CINEOLE
• DIOXYFLAVONAL
• EO
• 5-HYDROXY-7-(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)-1-PHENYL-HEPTANONE
• 5-HYDROXY-7-(4'-HYDROXYPHENYL)1-PHENYL-3-HEPTANONE
• 5-HYDROXY-7-(4'-HYDROXY-3'-METHOXYPHENYL)-1-PHENYL-3-HEPT...
• 7-(4'-HYDROXY-3'-METHOXYPHENYL)-1-PHENYL-3,5-HEPTADIONE
• 7-(4'-HYDROXY-3'-METHOXYPHENYL)-1-PHENYLHEPT-4-EN-3-ONE
• LINALOOL
• MANGANESE
• 5-METHOXY-7-(4'-HYDROXY-3'METHOXYPHENYL)-1-PHENYL-3-HEPTA...
• D-ALPHA-PINENE
• 3,5,7-TRIHYDROXYFLAVONE
• GALANGOL
• 5-HYDROXY-7-(4'-HYDROXY-3'-METHOXYPHENYL)-PHENYL-3-HEPTANONE
• ALPHA-CADINENE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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