''Alpinia nutans'', the shellflower, or dwarf cardamom, is a
Southeast Asian plant of the ginger
family (
Zingiberaceae), and is a
medicinal plant used to control
hypertension
Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...
, as
diuretic,
antifungal
An antifungal medication, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis (thrush), serious systemic infections such as crypto ...
,
and
antiulcer.
In Japan it is used as
food preservative
Food preservation includes processes that make food more resistant to microorganism growth and slow the oxidation of fats. This slows down the decomposition and rancidification process. Food preservation may also include processes that inhibit ...
.
Characteristics
Its flowers have a porcelain look, are shell-like and bloom prolifically on a 30-cm stalk. The flower's single fertile
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
has a massive
anther
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...
. The globose white
stigma of the
pistil
Gynoecium (; ) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ''pistils'' ...
extends beyond the tip of the anther. The foliage of ''Alpinia nutans'' is evergreen in areas that do not have a hard freeze. It has a very distinctive ''
cardamom'' fragrance when brushed or rubbed, but this is not the plant that produces the spice by that name.
Chemistry
The rhizome oil of ''Alpinia speciosa'' contains some
fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms, which are less common in nature than fatty acids with even numbers of carbon atoms. The major one is
pentadecanoic acid
Pentadecylic acid, also known as pentadecanoic acid or C15:0 is an odd-chain saturated fatty acid. It is a colorless solid.
A laboratory preparation involves permanganate oxidation of 1-hexadecene (CH3(CH2)13CH=CH2).
Pentadecylic acid is found ...
(C-15, 21.9%) and others are
tricosylic acid (C-23, 5.7%),
tridecylic acid (C-13, 1.9%),
undecylic acid
Undecylic acid (systematically named undecanoic acid) is a carboxylic acid with chemical formula C H3(CH2)9C OOH. It is often used as an antifungal agent, to treat ringworm and athlete's foot, for example. Like decanoic acid, it has a distincti ...
(C-11, 3.1%) and
pelargonic acid (C-9, 0.1%). Among the fatty acids containing even number of carbon atoms, the main constituents are
linolenic acid
Linolenic acid is a type of naturally-occurring fatty acid. It can refer to either of two octadecatrienoic acids (i.e. with an 18-carbon chain and three double bonds, which are found in the '' cis'' configuration), or a mixture of the two. Lino ...
(C-18:3, 27.4%) and
arachidic acid
Arachidic acid, also known as icosanoic acid, is a saturated fatty acid with a 20-carbon chain. It is a minor constituent of cupuaçu butter (7%), perilla oil (0–1%), peanut oil (1.1–1.7%), corn oil (3%),U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricul ...
(C-20, 22.4%). The total saturated fatty acids constitute 65.7% and unsaturated 34.3%.
Spectroscopic analysis revealed two new compounds of glucoside esters of
ferulic acid.
It also contains dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain.
[
]
Medicinal uses
''Alpinia nutans'' is used in traditional medicine as diuretic, antihypertensive
Antihypertensives are a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Antihypertensive therapy seeks to prevent the complications of high blood pressure, such as stroke and myocardial infarction. Evidence suggests tha ...
, antifungal, and antiulcer.[ The plant extract was experimentally shown to induce dose-dependent decrease in blood pressure in rats and dogs. However, it was found to have no effect on ]diuresis
Diuresis () is increased urination (polyuria) or, in the related word senses more often intended, the physiological process that produces such an increase or the administration of medications to encourage that process. It involves extra urine pro ...
.[ Two new glucoside esters of ferulic acid isolated from the rhizome have higher antioxidant activity than ]Trolox
Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) is a water-soluble analog of vitamin E sold by Hoffman-LaRoche. It is an antioxidant like vitamin E and it is used in biological or biochemical applications to reduce oxidative stre ...
.[ Its chemical compound dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain has an inhibitory effect on ]lipid peroxide
Lipid peroxidation is the chain of reactions of oxidative degradation of lipids. It is the process in which free radicals "steal" electrons from the lipids in cell membranes, resulting in cell damage. This process proceeds by a free radical chain ...
, and has an activity similar to that of beta-carotene.[
]
See also
* Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia
* List of plants known as lily
References
External links
Tropical Plant Database: ''Alpinia speciosa''
''Alpinia nutans''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2249633
nutans
Flora of Asia