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ated with food, medicine, and beliefs. yield different scents due to the different composi-
The leaves of E. slahmong C. K. Lim, known as tions and amounts of these terpenes.
çPud Singé in Thai or as çSlahmongé in Temiar no- The essential oils from leaves, rhizomes, and roots
3
menclature, are considered delectable, and are used of E. elan C. K. Lim have been reported. Based on
3
in native cuisine, in particular in cooking fish. In capillary GC and GC-MS analysis, 28 compounds have
southern Thailand, the leaves of this plant are also been identified from the leaf oil, among which
eaten as a vegetable with different types of chilli monoterpenoids predominate and the most abundant
dippings. The Thai name çPud Singé refers to the component is geraniol (71.6%). The rhizomes and
plant group and the shape of the flowers. The word roots also yield oils rich in monoterpenoids, but with
çpudé in the southern Thai dialect means çpop upé a distinctly different odor, with camphene (28.6%),
indicating the habit of this plant group which will fenchyl acetate (8.6%) and α-phellandrene (8.4%) as
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çpop upé in the rainy season. The Thai word çsingé the major components.
literally means çlion;é it refers to the shape of the Hydrodistillation of the leaves, rhizomes, and roots
flowers, which somewhat resemble a lion. of E. smithiae Y. K. Kam yields volatile oils. The oils
One of the Elettariopsis species, known in Thai of E. smithiae Y. K. Kam are dominated by monoter-
as çKrachai Lang Kong,é is used in southern Thailand penoids; the major components being geranial (38.1%)
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in an hypotensive remedy. The plant habit resembles and neral (29.1%) in the leaf oil, and camphene (22.9%)
that of çKrachai [Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf.],é and α-fenchyl acetate (15.7%) in the oils from the
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but the leaves are drooping; hence, the name çKrachai rhizomes and roots. However, terpenoid compo-
Lang Kong.é From our taxonomic study of this taxon, nents in the oil of E. slahmong C. K. Lim that charac-
we identified this species as E. smithiae Y. K. Kam. terized the species are predominantly 2-octenal (46%)
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The unknown taxon, Elettariopsis aff. triloba and 2-decenal (29%).
(Gagnep.) Loes., known locally in the northeastern Essential oils of E. triloba (Gagnep.) Loes. from
region of Thailand as çWaan Dok Thongé or çWaan two different sources, Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden
Maha Saneh,é is believed to process a magical power, (RIBG) and the Botanical Research Garden (BRG), have
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and therefore, it is used as a good-luck charm. The been compared chemically. The volatile compo-
Thai names of this taxon imply magical seductive nents of E. triloba (Gagnep.) Loes. from RIBG were
power. This plant is grown in pots, and put in front of found to be more than those from BRG. A total of 36,
shops in the belief that they will help to attract cus- 36 and 37 components were identified in the leaves,
tomers, especially when the plant is in bloom (usually roots and rhizomes of samples from RIBG, respec-
at the end of March or in early May). The rhizomes of tively, while only 10, 19 and 28 components were
this taxon are also used as one of the ingredients for identified in the sample from BRG. The major compo-
making çmagical herbal charming oilé or çmagical nents of the leaves of the plant from RIBG were β-
charming lip balm,é in the belief that after applying it citral (16.16%) and α-citral (14.13%), whereas the ma-
to oneûs body (oil) or lips (lip balm), it will help to at- jor components of the rhizomes were limonene (9.68%),
17,18
tract the targeted opposite sex, particularly women. heptan-2-ol-acetate (9.68%), 2-carene (9.05%). The
major constituents of the root oil of the plant from
Chemistry BRG were identified as α-terpinyl acetate (3.73%), α-
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Essential oil is the major chemical constituent fenchyl acetate (3.64%), α-phellandren (3.63%).
of all parts of the Elettariopsis species. It is volatile at
Biological Activities
room temperature; hence the name çvolatile oilé or
çethereal oilé. Terpenes, particularly monoterpenes The methanolic extract of the whole plant of E.
and sesquiterpenes, are the major constituents of an smithiae Y. K. Kam in a study showed a broncho-
essential oil. Members of the genus Elettariopsis Baker dilating effect and demonstrated a positive inotropic