MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

                 

Species                       : Kaempferia sikkimensis (king & Baker)

Local Name                 :

Synonym                     :

Family                          : Zingiberaceae

Habitat                        : Cultivated Herb.

Distribution                : Distributed throughout India from Himalayas to Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula- Malay Island.

Sikkim                          : It is been distributed in sub- tropical to temperate region (Warm climate), Kabi- Sotah, 6th Mile Tadong, Pakyong, Namthang \

                                      and Linddong.

Out side                      : Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Algarah, Sinchel, Bagdogra, Rambi, Dhotnay to Rimbick-Raman, Labha, Neora Valley, 2000- 3000 m.

General                       : Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), Meghalaya.

Morphological information

 A stemless herb, rootstock tuberous with large erect oblong or ovate- lanceolate. Leaves 30 by 7.5- 10 cm, usually variegated with darker and lighter green above and tinged purple beneath. Flower fragrant, borne 2.5- 7.5 cm, from the ground only, in a crowded radical spike but only 1 or 2 opening at a time. Corolla tube 5- 7.5 m long with spreading linear petals nearly as long as the tube. Staminoides oblong acute, white, 3.8- 5 cm. Lip as long as the tube, long with spreading linear petals nearly as long as the tube, staminoides oblong acute white. Lip liliac or reddish, rather shorter, 2 ft segments sub orbicular. Anther- crest deeply bifid, lobes lanceolate.

Flowering                       : March-May

Fruiting                          :

History                           :

Parts                             : Tuberous root.

Status                           : Cultivated at the temperate and tropical region, endangered in wild.

Agrocultivation              : The cultivation of chirayiti species has been done for long time in Nepal and Bhutan but in Sikkim, nursery has been raised for

                                     local use.

Medicinal

The whole plant when reduced to powder and used in the form of an ointment has wonderful efficiency in healing fresh wounds and taken internally it removes any coagulated blood for purulent matter that may be within the body.The root is useful medicine in anascrous swellings. In the Rewakarta district it is used against the swellings. In Bombay a powder in the tuber is used as a popular local application in mumps.

Ayurvedic                   :

Unani                           :                                                          

Traditional                  :

Others                        : Important medicinal plant. Extract (bitter to taste) from whole plant orally administered in fever, acidity. Also used as tonic,

                                      laxative and for liver inactivity.

 


Reference

1. Chopra, R.N. & S.L. Nayar, I.C. Chopra. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. National Institute of Science Communication (CSIR), New Delhi. 147.

2. Emmanuel, Roberts (1984). Vegetable Materia Medica of India and Ceylon. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 23- A, Connought place, Dehra dun- 248001.

3. Noltie, H.J. (1994). Flora of Bhutan (Vol. 3, Part 1), Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 198.    4.  Progress Report of the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998- 2001). State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim