Alpinia Nigra (Family Zingiberaceae): An Anthelmintic Medicinal Plant of North-East India

Abstract, Advances in Life Sciences, 2012

Traditionally used medicinal plants have been a source of relief in the control of different types of diseases throughout the globe. Economically backward people, who resides in remote areas of developing countries, rely heavily on indigenous way of get rid of parasitic infections using folk medicine. Alpinia nigra is one such medicinal plant, widely used in different parts of North-East India to cure intestinal helminth infection. Essential oils of different species of Alpinia contain flavonoids, terpenoids and kavalactones which have been in used to cure inflammation, hypertension, bacterial and helminth infection. In this review, the crude alcoholic extract of A. nigra that causes destruction and degeneration of surface architecture of tegument, inhibit energy metabolism related enzymes and also enzyme responsible for neuromuscular co-ordination are discussed.

Keywords Parasitic infection, folk medicine, Alpinia nigra, tegument, energy metabolism, neuromuscular