Mango Ginger (Amba Haldi) Uses, Research, Remedies, Side Effects

Amba haldi, also known as Mango ginger, is Curcuma amada. It is an Ayurvedic spice used for the treatment of joint pain, itching in the skin, indigestion, cough and wounds.
It is hot and spicy due to which its chutney as well as pickles are prepared throughout.
In West Bengal it is available in huge amounts. Whereas it is cultivated mainly in Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra states.

Latin name- Curcuma amada Roxb.
Family- Zingiberaceae (Ardraka Kula)

Home Remedies of Mango Ginger

Mango ginger looks exactly like the spice ginger, but tastes like raw mango and hence that name. Few of the important and simple remedies of Amragandhi haridra are as follows-

Fungal infection

1. Amba Haldi -rhizome paste for fungal infection:
Rhizomes are taken and rubbed well with buttermilk. This paste is applied over the white patches or fungal infections for 1 – 2 weeks time.

Colic pain

2. Rhizome juice along with warm water or buttermilk for colic pain:
Approximately 1-2 grams of the paste is made and it is administered along with a cup of buttermilk or water. This subsides abdominal colic immediately.

As appetizer

3. Sliced rhizome dipped in lemon juice as appetizer, along with food:
Rhizome is taken and made into thin slices. These slices are dipped in lemon juice and salt mixture and kept as it is for 3-5 days.
Later it is taken along with food in 1 teaspoon quantity, once or twice a day. This serves as an appetizer.

Anorexia, bloating

4. Hot infusion of the rhizome for anorexia, bloating and gas trouble:
5-10 grams of sliced rhizomes are taken and added to 100-200 ml of hot water. This is sipped during food or whenever the individual gets thirsty. This promotes hunger and taste. Burping of the abdomen is subsided effectively by this remedy.
Read related: Home Remedy For Bloating And Gas Trouble Using Buttermilk

Cough, cold

6. Amba Haldi juice with honey for cough and cold:
Fresh juice obtained is mixed with honey and licked. This subsides cough, cold, sore throat and hoarseness of the voice.

A medicine may be in the form of food, beverage, side dish or as a spice too. Administration of that particular drug in apt time and with proper adjuvant will bring the desired change.
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7. Contusion, Petechial Hemorrhages, Clots

Being spicy and hot in nature, Amba Haldi improves blood circulation, hence, it is made into paste by grinding and applied over contusion and petechial hemorrhage spots.
It is retained on the spot for 10-20 minutes and then washed off with lukewarm water.

Morphology

Morphology of Curcuma amada:
The morphology of the plant resembles that of Haridra (Turmeric) plant. It is a small plant growing to a height of 2-3 feet. The leaves are oblong, 1-2 feet long and about 5-6 inches wide, smooth having white colored dots in them. The rhizome of the plant can grow up to 10-12 inches long and has a pleasant smell of raw mango. The plant is available as well as grown all over India in the temperate climate for its culinary and commercial value. The plant is a native of Indonesia and China.

Properties, part used, dosage

Even though it is cold in potency, it undergoes a pungent kind of bio transformation. So it aggravates Vata, purifies Pitta and balances Kapha Dosha.
The herb is known for its potent carminative, digestive, antispasmodic and anti histaminic properties.

Medicinal properties of mango ginger:
Rasa (Taste) – Tikta (Bitter), Swadu (sweet)
Guna (Qualities) – Laghu (Light for digestion), Ruksha (Dry in nature)
Vipaka – Madhura (sweet)
Veerya (Potency) – Sheeta (cold)
Karma (Actions) – Decreases Pitta and increases Vata Dosha.

Part used- Rhizome
Dosage-
Rhizome powder- 3 to 5g
Fresh juice – 10 -20 ml

Formulations

Asthisandhanaka lepa

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of curcuma amada:
 Presence of curcumin and a phytosterol is reported in the rhizome of this plant. The rhizome also contains 1.1% of essential oil, resin, gum, starch, sugar, albuminoids, crude fiber  & organic acid d-camphor, 1-beta-curcumne, mycrene and cacimene.

Pharmacology

It is cooling & useful in prurigo. It is carminative, cooling, aromatic.
The paste of drug with the juice of Jasminum grandiflora is applied to skin complaints of children characterized by small blebes into which hairs grow soon after i.e., 10 days after birth.

Rhizomes are also used externally in the form of paste for skin disease, bruises, & itching it is also appetizer, digestive, stomachic, demulcent vulneraray, febrifoga, alexcteric, aphrodisiac,laxative, diuretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory & antipyretic.

Uses, Sanskrit verse

Uses of Amragandhi Haridra:

• 2-3 g of the powder of the rhizome of mango ginger is added with a glass of buttermilk and given to treat conditions of indigestion and improve taste and appetite.
• The paste of the rhizome of Curcuma amada is applied over the joint affected with localized pain and swelling.
• The juice of the rhizome of amragandha haridra is given in a dose of 10 ml to treat intestinal worms.
• 5-10 ml of the fresh juice of Mango ginger is mixed with a few drops of honey and consumed to treat cough and asthma.
• The paste of the leaf and rhizome of Curcuma amada is applied over the area affected with itching sensation of skin and over wounds for quick healing.
• The rhizome of mango ginger is used for various culinary purposes like pickle, soup and as a flavoring agent in many dishes

Uses as per Ayurveda:
Sheetala – coolant
Vrushya – aphrodisiac, improves vigor
Sannipata – useful in all Tridosha imbalance disorders
Kanduhara – useful in relieving pruritus (excessive itching)

Adverse effects

No known adverse effect is known or reported after the use of this plant.

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Research

Research articles related to Curcuma amada:
Anti-oxidant potential: Present examination aims to evaluate and compare antioxidant potential of different extracts of mango ginger using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay. In this study, methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of mango ginger rhizomes was estimated as good antioxidant activity which is may be due to phenolics, curcuminoids, essential oil, terpenoids and flavonoids present in good amounts in these extracts, whereas dichloromethane and aqueous extracts has very little capability of radical scavenging activity.

Anti- bacterial study: This study investigates the chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity of essential oil of Curcuma amada Roxb. This study proves that the essential oil could serve as an important bio-resource of antioxidants for using in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Besides, the essential of C.amada remarkably inhibited the growth of 12 bacterial strains.

Mango ginger for digestive health – Difference between ginger and mango ginger

Classical categorization

Bhavaprakasha- Hareetakyadi varga
Kaiyyadeva Nighantu- Oushadhi varga

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Zingiberaceae
Genus: Curcuma
Species: C. amada

Vernacular names of Amba Haldi

Names in different languages:
Hindi name- Amahaladi, Karpura haldi, Amba Haldi
English- Mango ginger
Bengali name- Amada
Guajarati name-Safed haldar
Kannada name- Ambarasina, Huliarasina
Malayalam name- Manga inji
Marathi name- Amba haldar, Ambaldi
Tamil name- Manga inji
Telugu name- Mamodi alam
Urdu name- Amba haldi

Sanskrit synonyms

Sanskrit Synonyms of Amragandhi Haridra:
Karpura haridra- The smell of plant resembles camphor
Vanyaharidra, Aranyaharidra – The plant is available in the wild
Kanda, Daru, Asragandha
Sugandha – Rhizome has aromatic smell
Brihat kandali – Its rhizome is larger compared to Haridra

Author: Dr.B.K.Prashanth M.D (Ayu), Ph.D
E mail: drprashanthbk@gmail.com
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