ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Chemical Profiling of Selected Plants of Zingiberaceae Used in Ethnomedicine of Koraput, India

The present study aims to quantify the phytochemicals present in ten selected species such as Zingiber roseum (Roxb.) Roscoe, Curcuma aromatica Salisb., Curcuma amada Roxb., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Curcuma angustifolia Roxb, Alpinia calcarata (Haw.) Roscoe, Hedychium coronarium J.Koenig, Kaempferia galanga L., Curcuma longa L., Curcuma caesia Roxb of Zingiberaceae, which are commonly used in ethnomedicine by the tribal people of Koraput, India. The phenol, flavonoid, alkaloid, saponin, tannin, and ascorbic acid are major pharmaceutical parameters that are responsible for ethnomedicinal values were present in varying proportions. The plant species also contain significant amount of antioxidants that can be exploited as a potential source for herbal remedy for various diseases. Thus, public awareness and community-based programmes need to be encouraged at all levels for ex situ and in situ conservation of such species and will further use in exploration of new drugs for pharmaceutical industries.