Kolinchi — Ayurvedic Medicinal Herbs

March 23rd, 2007 | admin

Kolinchi (Zingiber zerumbet), also known as wild ginger is a wild variety of plant in ginger family that grows to a height of 7 ft or more. The underground stem holds the leaves and a peculiar conical inflorescence, which holds distant resemblance with pine cones. The leaves appear to be arising from a stem. The inflorescence too appear on a pseudo-stem.

Kolinchi is the Malayalam word. The other names for this plant are shampoo ginger and pinecone.

The plant grows quickly. Propagation is through rhizomes. A single piece of rhizome is enough to turn an entire area covered with the plants in two to three years.

The shampoo of the plant is produced at the bracts after the flowers are shed. This liquid is base for different herbal shampoo products.

Kolinchi or shampoo ginger has different medicinal properties too. It is used in Ayurveda medicines in the treatment of muscle cramps, indigestion, asthma, skin diseases, cough etc. It is also used as a vermicide.