RHIZOME:GINGER - EXPERIMENT

Synonyms:

Adrak; Kan. Shunti; Ale; Sonth, Zingiber, Zingiberis

Biological Source:

Ginger consists of scraped or unscraped rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe;

Family- Zingiberaceae

scraped to remove the dark outer skin and dried in the sun-it is known as Jamica ginger in the market.

The commercial ginger is known as unbleached ginger.

Morphology:

Form - Irregularly branched (sympodial), laterally compressed, branches known as fingers arise obliquely from the rhizome,

Size- 5-15cm in length and 1.5 to 6.5cm in breadth

Shape- laterally compressed, bearing, short flat, ovate and oblique branches on the upper side, with bud at the apex.

Rhizome shows oblique branches whose length is 1 to 3cm. these branches end in the scars or buds which are not developed completely.

Colour- Externally buff coloured

Odour- Agreeable and aromatic

Taste- Agreeable and pungent

Fracture – Short and fibrous

Extra feature –Longitudinal striations and the occasional projecting fibres are present on the surface of ginger .Transversely cut surface shows well marked endodermis and stele.

Chemical constituents:

Volatile oil –

The aromatic principle of ginger oil are

Monoterpenes- beta phellandrene, cineole, citral, borneol

Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon like- zingiberine, beta bisabolene, Farnesene

Sesquiterpene alcohol- Zingiberol, borneol, linalool, geraniol etc,

Aldehyde-Citral

Pungent principles- Gingerol-shogaol- zingerone.

As the ginger dries the phenyl propanoids are converted in to diarylheptanoids.

While cooking, gingerol present in ginger gets converted in to zingerone which is less pungent and more aromatic.

Resinous matter, starch, mucilage.

Uses:

·         Carminative

·         Aromatic

·         Stimulant

·         Flavouring agent

·         Stomachic

·         Antiemetic

·         Antiinflammatory

·         Antiplatelet aggregator

·         Ginger Oil is used in mouth washes, beverages and liquors