A REVIEW ON THE POTENTIAL USE OF BLACK GINGER FROM EASTERN INDIA

Kaempferia parviflora Wall. Ex Baker is commonly known as ‘black ginger’ which belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. These are mostly found in the subtropical and tropical areas of Asia. It bears various pharmacological properties such as anticancerous, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial. Upon the reports we reviewed the plant aromatic rhizomes contained important phytochemicals as terpenoids and flavonoids. Silica gel column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography analysis has identified methoxyflavonoids in its rhizome extract which can be used in cosmetics as natural anti-aging agent. These extracts have shown anticancer activities against cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric ulcer, ovarian cancer etc. There are several reports on the cytotoxic activities of rhizome extracts against different cancer cells which are an alternative way for cancer therapy. Also these plants are depleting in forests for which major steps must be taken for its conservation thereby improving its drug yielding potential which would help in various medicinal ways. Thus, the present report deals with numerous pharmacological activities of this plant which has to be improved further to retain its quality for pharmaceutical uses.