Zingiber purpureum Roscoe

Bangle (Zingiber purpureum) is an upright herb 1.2-1.8 meters tall of the Zingiberaceae family, originating from South India and Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Javanese communities have long used its rhizome to address skin redness, while traditionally it is also believed to keep newborn babies safe from spirits. Bangle is also believed to be anti-inflammatory and help relieve fever and migraine.

Grows in lowlands up to elevations of 1,300 m above sea level. Prefers open areas with adequate sunlight, well-drained soil, high organic matter.

• Roots an irregularly round rhizome, creeping and fleshy yellow, skin yellowish-light brown.
• Stem pseudostem composed of a cluster of leaf sheaths that are bristly-haired at the edge tips, growing upright.
• Leaves single, alternating position, leaf blade oblong, thin, tapering tip, blunt base, smooth edges, finely hairy, pinnate venation, length 23-35 cm, width 20-40 cm, green, leaf underside hairy.
• Flowers compound, spike-shaped, emerging at the stem tip, egg-shaped. Calyx arranged like thick scales, tube-shaped, bright red.
• Fruit round shaped, 17 mm in size, has a thin fruit skin, many seeds, purple in color.

• Vegetative propagation (rhizome).
• Mature rhizomes weighing 25-40 g that have sprouted in a pot/polybag (1-1.5 months) can be transplanted to the field.

Cineole, pinene, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, essential oils (sabinene, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, butadiene).

Anti-inflammatory, fever reducer, diarrhea remedy, worm infections, migraine, vertigo, prevents malaria complications, speeds wound healing, rheumatism, swelling, colds in infants, warms the body.

• Wash bangle rhizome thoroughly. Drain and weigh then slice crosswise.
• Arrange on a tray then dry in the sun.
• After ± 6 days of drying, store bangle in a tightly closed container.

Mungle (Aceh), Bengle (Sumatra), Banglai (Palembang), Pangle, Panglai (Sunda), Kunyit bolai (Bali), Bangalai (Kalimantan), Pandiyang (Madura), Bengle (Java).