KJC Medicinal Garden

Our Collections | Medical Plants | Herbal Plants

Crepe ginger
Cheilocostus speciosus


Order: Zingiberales
Family: Costaceae
Genus: Cheilocostus
Species: C.speciosus
Common Names: Crepe Ginger, Spiral Flag, Wild Ginger,White costus
Native to Indian Subcontinent, South China, Malaysia

Other plants of the same genus with medicinal properties

    C. pictus,
    C. pesiosus,
    C. spiralis,
    C. aurubracteatus,
    C. igneus,
    C. spicatus,
    C.woodsonii
Morphology:
  • Succulent, erect, perennial, ornamental, herbaceous plant(120-300 cm height)
  • Leaves: Large dark green, subsessile, elliptical or obovate arranged on stalk in spiral form
  • Stems are root stock tuberous stem
  • Flowers: White fragrant flowers, look like crepe paper

Uses in Tradition systems of medicine

  • Used as Food and Medicine
  • Bruised leaves and decoction of stem are used for the treatment of fever, diarrhea, dysentery, skin disease, arthritis, eye diseases, insect bites, anemia, asthma, wounds, scabies, antidote for snake bite, leprosy, rash, worm infection.
  • Rhizomes are bitter, astringent, acrid, purgative, anthelminthic, tonic, improve digestion.
  • A stimulant herb that clears toxin.
  • Used for eye and ear infections.
Nutritional Properties
  • Vitamin C
  • Protein: 18&15%; Iron:46&120mg; β-carotene: 660&1833µg; α-tocophenol:149&25mg; total phenols:4.4 & 2.1g; Ascorbic acid: 81&216mg; GSH:75&400mmol; Phosphorus:30.55mg.
  • Good sources of nutrients and natural antioxidant components.

Suggested Medicinal Properties

  • Antibacterial
  • Antifungal
  • Antihelmenthic,
  • Antioxidant
  • Antihyperglycemic
  • Anticholineesterase
  • Analgesic
  • Antistress
  • Antipyretic
  • Estrogenic activity
  • Diuretic activity
  • Larvicidal activity
  • Anti inflammatory activity

Active Phytochemicals

• Diosgenin
• Costusosides
• Gracillin
• β-carotene
• β-sitosterol
• β-D-glucoside
• dihydrophytylpastoquinone
• α-tocopherolquinine
• 5α-stigmast-9(11)en-3β-ol
• Methyl hexadecanoate
• Methyl octadecanoate
• Tetracosanyl octadeconoate
• Cyloartanol
• Cycloartenol
• cycloalaudenol

References

K. Abirami et al. “Phytochemical progile and antifungal activity of Costus sp of Bay Islands.” Journal of the Andaman Science Association vol.19(1);45-49(2014)

V.A. Pawar et al. “Costus speciosus : An important medicinal plant.” International journal of science and research vol. 3 Issue 7, July 2014.