Galangal Cancer Treatments
Early indications show that galangal may be another tool in the fight against cancer, particularly the lung and breast varieties. Research at King's College in the United Kingdom shows that this ancient herb possesses some surprising properties. Already touted for its medicinal benefits, galangal's antioxidant and enzyme-activation features seem to be anti-cancer tools as well.
What Is It?
Called kha in Thailand, galangal is similar in appearance to ginger root. It is erect and has rhizomes (blunt underground stalks) protruding from its central core. The name "galangal" is derived from the Chinese word for "ginger," and it is native to Thailand, India and southern China.
Believed to be imported to the west by Arabian physicians somewhere around the eighth century, galangal became a prized spice used in medieval cooking. By that time it had already been flavoring soups and Thai curries for more than 1,000 years. It was purported to relieve dyspepsia (upset stomach), heart pain, flatulence, nausea and hiccups and was used widely as an aphrodisiac.
Cancer Connection
In 2005, King's College researchers decided to test the claim that galangal is an effective treatment for cancer. Two forms of the plant were tested: lesser galangal (alpinia officinarum) and greater galangal (alpinia galanga). The study showed that galangal killed cancer cells and protected healthy cells from becoming cancerous, a dual benefit that is rare among cancer treatments.
The purified, isolated chemical made from the galangal root killed three times more cancer cells than healthy cells, and among cells damaged by the chemical galangal extract, negative effects were reversible.
It is important to note that doctors are not endorsing the use of galangal to treat cancer as a result of these tests, as they believe further studies need to be conducted on human subjects, but the preliminary findings are promising.
Active Ingredients
Volatile oils are what gives aromatic herbs their scent and are also the key to their chemical benefits. Galangal contains between 0.5 and 1 percent volatile oil. There are also numerous active chemicals in galangal, including sesquiterpenes (naturally occurring alcohols), eugenol (clove oil) and a mixture of pungent chemicals, including cineol, 3-HMP (an anti-inflammatory compound) and galangin (an antioxidant involved in enzyme stimulation). To obtain the oil from the root it can be distilled in water.
Preparations
As of 2009, galangal has not been approved as a therapy for cancer. As a result, there is no recommended dosage to specifically treat cancer, though, based on its use over the centuries, there are general guidelines for consuming this herb. To consume as a tea, add 0.5 to 1 gram of dried, chopped rhizome to boiling water and allow it to steep for five to 10 minutes, then strain the liquid and drink it 30 minutes before meals.
Galangal can also be ingested as a tincture of 1 to 2 milliliters three times per day. There are 45 calories and 2 grams of dietary fiber in every 64 grams of galangal.
Legal Footnotes
Galangal is sold in the U.S. as a food item and is considered safe as such by the federal government, but it is not permitted to be sold in the U.S. as a cure or treatment for cancer. Any source claiming that galangal is a cancer remedy faces fines and retribution from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Despite some good evidence that galangal has anti-cancer properties, the final analysis is still pending. The government of Louisiana has ruled that galangal may only be sold as an aesthetic plant in gardens and may not be consumed by humans, making it the only state in the U.S. with that regulation.
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