Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig rhizome

Abstract

Zingiberaceae is the largest family of the order Zingiberales containing more than 1600 species and 200 genera among which Hedychium is the medium sized ornamental genus containing near about 40-50 speciesmostly distributed throughout the tropics and sub tropics of the world. Being aromatic and rich in diverse bioactive compounds plants of this family are economically, ethnomedicinally and pharmaceutically very important. Apart from their traditional use as spices, food, ethnomedicine, dyes, perfume etc., they have got a huge future potential in new drug development due to their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer and antioxidant characteristics. In the present study, the ethnomedicinal uses of Hedychium coronarium has been documented. In addition to this the antimicrobial properties of this plant have been examined by disc diffusion method. It has been concluded that H. coronarium exhibited remarkable anti-bacterial property against the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus than gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. The GCMS analysis reveals the presence of 18 compounds which are responsible for the medicinal properties of this plant.