Halia Bara

Halia Bara
Scienctific Name	Zingiber officinale var. rubrum Theilade
Family	Zingiberaceae
Distributed	Peninsular Malaysia
Common Name	Halia udang, halia merah (Malaysia),Jahe merah (Indonseia)
Plant material of interest	Rhizome

{slider=General Appearance}

Halia bara is morphologically similar to the common ginger (halia), but the rhizomes of this variant are smaller and more pungent, red on the outside with a yellow to pinkish cross-section, while the base of its leaf shoot is red. Unlike the common ginger, the petiole of halia bara is reddish when young, and the lip is scarlet red mottled with cream (Ibrahim et al., 2008).

{/slider}
{slider=Chemical Content}

The essential oils obtained by hydrodistilation of the leaves and rhizomes of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum Theilade were analysed by capillary GC and GC–MS. Forty-six constituents were identified in the leaf oil, while 54 were identified in the oil from the rhizomes. The leaf oil was clearly dominated by β-caryophyllene (31.7%), while the oil from the rhizomes was predominantly monoterpenoid, with camphene (14.5%), geranial (14.3%), and geranyl acetate (13.7%) the three most abundant constituents.

(Sivasothy, Y., et al., 2011)

The essential oils were extracted using the hydrodistillation method from  Zingiberaceae species; Zingiber officinale var.rubrum. Volatile components of  extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The major constituents of Zingiber officinale, was identified as E -citral (20.98%), zerumbone (40.70%), ethyl p -methoxycinnamate (58.47%) and camphor (57.97%), respectively.Zingiber officinale var. rubrum contained mostly monoterpenes (Sukari M.A. et al 2008).

Abd Malek S.N. (2004) investigated that the essential oil contained geranial (28.43%), neral (14.20%) and geranyl acetate (8.77% and Zingiberene (3-17%).

{/slider}
{slider=Traditional Medicines}

Rhizole for treating stomach discomfort, tumours, relieving rheumatic pains and as post partum medicine (Ibrahim et al 2008)

{/slider}
{slider=Pharmacology}

Anti- bacterial Activities

The evaluation of antibacterial activities using the micro-dilution technique revealed that both the leaf and rhizome oils were moderately active against the Gram-positive bacteria Bacilluslicheniformis, Bacillus spizizenii and Staphylococcus aureus, and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas stutzeri (Sivasothy, Y., et al., 2011).

Inflammatory response:

1) Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease characterised by hyperplasia of epidermal keratinocytes and the accumulation of activated immune cells at sites of the disease. The disease is associated with aberrant activation of phagocytes, T-lymphocytes and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The study examines the therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of action of the ginger species Halia Bara, or Zingiber officinale Roscoe var. rubrum (ZOR), on key immunopathogenic mechanisms relevant to psoriasis. In-depth experiments first determined the effect of a ZOR extract in chloroform (HB02) and its fractions on nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. The results of these experiments showed that HB02 and its fractions efficiently inhibited NO and PGE2 production by activated macrophages. Extensive fractionation and characterisation experiments succeeded in identifying two compounds 6-shogaol (6S) and 1-dehydro-6-gingerdione (GD) with potent inhibitory effects on NO and PGE2. These effects were comparable to dexamethasone and indomethacin. Studies on the effects of chlorform extract, its fractions and compounds showed inhibitory effects on the level of mRNA for iNOS, TNFα, IL-12p40 and IL-23p19 in pre-treatment experiments of macrophages. Studies of cell migration showed that the fractions and compounds from ZOR inhibited the migration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) through human vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) by influencing CD11b expression and CD62L shedding. Further studies showed that the ZOR samples also inhibited the activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and reduced CD25 and CD69 expression. Furthermore, an in vitro model of epidermal inflammation showed that ZOR directly inhibits keratinocyte proliferation and the production of IL-20 and IL-8, both key psoriasis-promoting cytokines. The studies reported in this thesis provide experimental evidence for potent anti-inflammatory properties of ZOR and for potential mechanisms of action in ameliorating psoriasis (Nordin & Nurul Izza 2012).

2. Rhizomes of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum have been used as poultice in the treatment of joint pains and swelling in the traditional medicine of indigenous peoples of Malaysia. The concentrations of phenolic ketones, namely, 6-, 8- and 10-gingerols in the methanolic extract of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum were found to be higher than in Zingiber officinale var. officinale. The former was also found to exhibit greater toxicity toward Artemia salina. Toxicity is directly proportional to polarity of phenolic ketone. Inhibitors of nitric oxide production have been considered as potential anti-inflammatory agents. In this study, we also evaluated the methanol extracts of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum and Zingiber officinale var. officinale for nitric oxide formation (for iNOS inhibitors) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse macrophages cells. Preliminary results show the methanolic extract of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum to be almost 50% more potent as anti-inflammatory agent as compared to dexamethasone. The active extract mediating iNOS inhibitory activities is warranted for further elucidation of active principles for development of new anti-inflammatory agents.(Yusoff MM. & Nazaimoon W.M.W.2009).

 {/slider}
{slider=Toxicity}

The percentage of tail DNA in the cells induced by these extracts (at the highest concentration of 2000ug/mL) was less than 40 %. The studies showed the plants is considered as not highly genotoxic.

{/slider}
{slider=Reference}

Abd Malek S.N., H. Ibrahim, S.Lai, Lee, G. Serm, Chan, K. Seng & N.A. Mohd Ali (2004). The essential oils of Zingiber officinale variants Malaysian Journal of Science Vol 24 (2) http://umrefjournal.um.edu.my/public/article-view.php

Ibrahim H.,  K. Awang, NAM, SNA Malek and I. Jantan & D.R. Syamsir i (2008). Selected Malaytsian aromatic plants and their essential oil components. University Malaya.

Wan Ibrahim WI. K. Sidik.& U.R. Kuppusamy (2010). A high antioxidant level in edible plants is associated with genotoxic properties. Food Chemistry Vol. 122(4) Pg 1139-1144.

Nordin & Nurul Izzah (2012). Immunomodulatory effects of Zingiber officinale Roscoe var. rubrum (Halia Bara) on inflammatory responses relevant to psoriasis. https:// qmro.qmul. ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/3350

Sivasothy Y., Chong W.K. Hamid A., Eldeen I.M., Sulaiman S.F., Awang K. (2011) Essential oils of Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum Theilade and their antibactrial activities. Food Chemistry Vol 124 (2) Pg 514-517.

Sukari M.A., Mohd Sharif N.W., Yap A.L.C., Tang S.W., Neoh B.K., Rahmani M. Ee G.C.L., Taufiq Yap Y.H., Yusof U.K. (2008). Chemical constituents variations of essential oils from rhizomes of Four Zingiberaceae Spesies..The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 12 (3) Pg 638-644. Abstract. http://www.ukm.my/mjas/v12_n3/html/12_3_18.html.

Yusoff MM & WMW Nazaimoon (2009). Brine shrimp toxicity and anti-inflammatory properties of the methanolic extract of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum (Zingiberaceae). Planta Med 75-PA52 DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234377 https://www.thieme-connect.com/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0029-1234377

{/slider}