Pinyin: Ganjiang
Aliases
Baijiang, Junjiang.
Source
Zingiberaceae plant GingerZingiber officinaleDried rhizome of Rosc.
Botanical Description
Perennial herb, 50-80 cm tall. Rhizome thick, cross-section yellowish-white, with a strong pungent odor. Leaves alternate, arranged in 2 rows, sessile, nearly clasping the stem; ligule 2-4 mm long; leaf blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 15-30 cm long, 1.5-2.2 cm wide, apex acuminate, base narrow, leaf base sheath-like clasping the stem, glabrous. Flower scape extracted from the rhizome, 15-25 cm long; spike inflorescence elliptic, 4-5 cm long; bracts ovate, about 2.5 cm long, pale green, margin pale yellow, apex with a small tip; calyx tube about 1 cm long, with 3 short pointed teeth; corolla yellow-green, tube 2-2.5 cm long, lobes 3, lanceolate, less than 2 cm long, lip middle lobe oblong-obovate, shorter than corolla lobes, with purple stripes and pale yellow spots, lateral lobes ovate, yellow-green, with purple margin; stamen 1, dark purple, anther about 9 mm long, connective appendage enveloping the style; ovary 3-locular, glabrous, style 1, stigma nearly spherical. Capsule. Seeds numerous, black. Flowering period: August.
Habitat and Distribution
Widely cultivated in provinces from central, southeastern to southwestern China.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvested in winter, remove stems, leaves, fibrous roots, and soil, then sun-dry or dry at low temperature. Those sliced fresh and sun-dried or dried at low temperature are called "dried ginger slices."
Medicinal Properties
This product appears as flat, irregular blocks with finger-like branches, measuring 3-7 cm in length and 1-2 cm in thickness. The surface is grayish-yellow or light grayish-brown, rough, with longitudinal wrinkles and distinct nodes. Scale-like remnants of leaves are often present at the branching points, and the branch tips show stem scars or buds. The texture is firm, the cross-section is yellowish-white or grayish-white, powdery and granular, with distinct endodermal ring marks, scattered vascular bundles, and yellow oil spots. The odor is aromatic and characteristic, and the taste is pungent and numbing.
Chemical Constituents
Mainly contains gingerone and 6-gingerol.β- Moyaoxi,α- Jianghuangxi (curcumene),β-β-sesquiphellandrene and zingiberol, d-camphene, eucalyptol, citral, borneol, etc.
Pharmacology
Has sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, blood pressure-raising, and anticoagulant effects; on the digestive system, it exhibits antiemetic properties and enhances isolated intestinal contraction; it also kills snails, acts against schistosomiasis, and promotes the synthesis and release of adrenocortical hormones.
Properties and Channel Entry
Acrid, warm. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Heart, and Lung channels.
Functions and Indications
Warms the Middle Jiao, dissipates Cold, restores Yang and unblocks the channels, warms the Lungs and transforms Phlegm-Fluid. Used for epigastric and abdominal Cold pain, vomiting and diarrhea, cold extremities and faint pulse, and wheezing and cough due to Cold-Phlegm.
Dosage and Administration
Oral: decoct in water, 3-10 g; or made into pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount, decoct for washing, or grind into powder for topical application.
Precautions and Contraindications
Contraindicated in cases of Yin deficiency with internal Heat or Blood-Heat causing reckless movement.
Prescriptions
1. For sudden heart pain: Dried ginger powder, take 3-5 g with warm wine, repeat 6-7 times, will heal. (Zhouhou Fang) 2. For all cold conditions, Qi depression with heart pain, chest and abdominal distension: White rice 4 cups, add dried ginger and galangal 30 g each, cook and eat. (Shoushi Qingbian - Dried Ginger Congee) 3. For vomiting sour water after eating: Dried ginger and Evodia fruit 60 g each. Grind the two ingredients, sift. Take 3-5 g with wine, twice daily. Effective for cold stomach. (Qianjin Yaofang - Zhizhong San) 4. For persistent vomiting in pregnancy: Dried ginger and Renshen 30 g each, Banxia 60 g. Grind into powder, form into pills with ginger juice, the size of wutong seeds. Take 10 pills with drink, three times daily. (Jinkui Yaolüe - Dried Ginger, Renshen, and Banxia Pills) 5. For severe watery diarrhea: Dried ginger powder, mix with congee, take 3 g, immediate effect. (Zhenghe Bencao, quoting Sun Zhenren's formula)
