Not only used to enhance the flavor and aroma of dishes, rhizome (Zingiber zerumbet) is also regarded as a medicinal herb that treats various ailments in traditional medicine. In modern medicine, the extract of rhizome is also being researched for therapeutic uses.
Valuable Herb Offering Numerous Health Benefits
Dr. Nguyen Van Thai from the Military Institute of Radiology and Oncology states that while we often use rhizome to enhance the flavor and aroma of dishes, many are unaware that it is a valuable medicinal herb with numerous health benefits.
Rhizome serves both culinary and medicinal purposes – (Illustrative image).
Dr. Thai explains that rhizome is also known as Thai ginger, a spice commonly used in traditional medicine worldwide, particularly in Thailand and Indonesia.
- Rich in Antioxidants: Rhizome is rich in antioxidants that help protect against infections.
- High in Quercetin: This flavonoid may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. It is also rich in gallic acid, an antioxidant that can have anti-inflammatory effects.
- May Reduce Pain and Inflammation: Rhizome can alleviate pain and inflammation by targeting chemical pathways that often cause autoimmune disorders. Some studies suggest that certain compounds in rhizome may reduce inflammatory symptoms.
- Antibacterial Properties: Research by Tomoko Suzuki and colleagues indicates that the essential oils from rhizome can eliminate bacteria, yeasts, and parasites, thanks to terpinen-4-ol, a potent antibacterial compound.
- Cancer Prevention: Researchers believe that the antioxidant galangin in rhizome may help destroy tumor cells and prevent the spread of cancer cells.
One study found that galangin, quercetin, and other antioxidants may help prevent several types of cancer, including stomach, cervical, and liver cancers.
- Reduces Skin Aging: In a study published in Cosmetics and Toiletries, scientists showed that extracts from rhizome enhance hyaluronic acid production, a moisturizing agent that helps reduce wrinkles. As a result, participants exhibited noticeable changes, such as increased elasticity and a more radiant appearance.
Additionally, rhizome extract can help alleviate skin conditions like eczema, itching, and fungal infections, reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, protect brain function, prevent memory loss, and enhance sexual function by stimulating sperm production.
Braised fish with rhizome offers a unique flavor – (Illustrative image).
Treating Stomach Pain and Other Ailments
Traditional medicine practitioner Nguyen Huu Toan from the Hai Phong Traditional Medicine Association notes that rhizome, known in traditional medicine as Cao lương khương and Lương khương, is commonly used.
Rhizome is a plant belonging to the ginger family, typically utilizing its rhizome, seeds, and leaves. The rhizome forms due to the thickened roots and appears reddish-brown when young, turning pale yellow as it matures.
The outer layer is quite thick and hard, with many eyes divided into uneven segments, surrounding the typically white or slightly yellow flesh, which is aromatic, spicy, and fibrous.
The medicinal properties of rhizome are characterized by a spicy aroma and warm nature, primarily affecting the spleen and stomach meridians, offering digestive benefits, pain relief, and cold dispersal. Traditional medicine applies it to treat various conditions:
- Epigastric Pain, Duodenal Ulcers, Chronic Stomach Pain: Mix 60g of rhizome and 60g of nutmeg, grind into powder, form into pills, and take 9g divided into three doses daily.
- Stomach Pain from Cold Deficiency: Patients with stomach pain due to cold deficiency typically exhibit symptoms like abdominal pain (especially in cold weather or when hungry), bloating, vomiting, loose stools, a fear of cold, pale tongue, and white tongue coating…
For treatment: 6-10g of rhizome and nutmeg; 30g each of lily bulb and salvia; 9-12g of costus; 6-9g of clove; and 3-6g of cardamom. Boil all ingredients to drink as one dose daily.
- Acute Stomach Pain: Use 6g each of rhizome, bitter orange peel, dried tangerine peel, and costus; 4g of clove; and 15g of hawthorn. Boil this combination for one dose daily to alleviate symptoms like abdominal pain, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Alternatively, combine 10g each of rhizome, licorice, and safflower with 30g of white peony and 15g of angelica. Grind all ingredients into powder, mix with boiling water to drink or boil to consume as one dose daily.
Effects: Reduces symptoms of abdominal pain, cold hands and feet, bloating, etc., due to stomach issues.
- Cold Pain in the Stomach, Indigestion: For those suffering stomach pain due to consuming cold drinks or food, symptoms may include abdominal cramps, pale face, excessive sweating, and weak pulse. Use two large rhizomes (about 40g), peel and crush them, mix with warm water to make a cup, and sip slowly.
Drink about 10 tablespoons, and soon the abdomen will feel comfortable, allowing you to lie down without holding your stomach tightly. After resting for about 10 minutes, finish the remaining half cup, and after resting for 30 minutes to an hour, symptoms should resolve.
- Nausea and Vomiting: Combine 10g each of rhizome, pinellia, and ginger, and boil to drink. If nausea accompanies abdominal pain, use 8g of rhizome with one apple boiled to drink 2-3 times a day.
- Malaria and Poor Digestion: Prepare 40g of rhizome coated with sesame oil, and 40g of dried ginger, grind finely, mix with pig’s bile to form pills about the size of corn kernels, and take 15-20 pills daily.
Alternatively, mix 300g of rhizome powder, 100g each of dry cinnamon and cardamom powder, and combine with honey to form pills the size of corn kernels. Take 15 pills daily before symptoms occur.
- Ringworm: Crush rhizome and soak in alcohol or vinegar for topical application.
- Skin Diseases: Use 100g of mature rhizome, crush, and soak in 200ml of alcohol or 70-degree ethanol. Extract for use; apply the alcohol solution to affected areas 2-3 times a day.
- Cough, Sore Throat, Poor Digestion: Slice rhizome thinly, ferment with salt, and when using, you can suck on a few grains of salt or chew and swallow gradually.
- Rheumatism: Combine 60g each of rhizome, tangerine peel, and perilla seeds, dry, grind finely, and use 4g each time, mixing with a cup of cooled boiled water or alcohol, taken twice daily for 5-7 days.
- Joint Pain Massage Oil: Dry and finely chop 20g of rhizome, 16g of angelica, 24g of cinnamon, 20g of costus, and 16g of dried tangerine peel. Pour alcohol over to soak for 10 days.
When used, soak a cotton ball in the solution and apply to the painful area, gently massaging. This remedy can be used for bone pain, sprains, swollen joints, and localized pain.
An animal study indicated that using rhizome at a dose of 2,000mg/kg body weight could cause serious side effects such as frequent urination, diarrhea, loss of appetite, decreased energy, coma, and even death.
These side effects did not appear when used at doses lower than 300mg/kg body weight.
