Kappor Katcheri Oil
Kappor Katcheri Oil is also popularly known as Galangal oil. It is extracted from the roots of the Galangal plant. This plant is a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is indigenous to the grasslands of China, Indonesia and Southeast Asia. This plant bears underground stems called rhizomes. The rhizomes are the most powerful part of this herb. The Galangal roots are branched out into many pieces. Each of the part measures about one and a half to three inches long. The rhizome’s body is cylindrical in shape. It is segregated with the presence of a narrow and whitish color body. These particles give the appearance of raised rings on the body of the rhizome. The rhizomes are dark reddish-brown in color. These rhizomes generally have a strong aroma, spicy taste and a pungent odor. Rhizomes are often witnessed with the presence of numerous minute, granular ligneous fibers that harden them. The popular herbalist, ‘Hildegard De Bingen’, called Galangal as ‘the spice of life’, as he believed it as a gift from God to keep sickness away.
Kappor Katcheri oil is extracted by steam distillation from the rhizomes of Galangal plant. This essential oil is light yellow in color with a watery viscosity. It has a sweet, refreshing, natural, spicy, camphorous, fresh and gingery aroma. Kappor Katcheri oil blends well with coriander oil, elemi oil, fennel seed oil, geranium oil, lavandin oil, mimosa oil, sandalwood oil, tarragon oil, cypress oil, juniper berry oil, lovage oil, mace oil, rose oil, marjoram oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, labdanum oil, palmarosa oil, pine oil, vetiver oil, tansy oil, spikenard oil, patchouli oil, myrtle oil, zedoary oil, black pepper oil, cedarwood oil, cubeb oil, parsley seed oil, chamomile oil, snakeroot oil, turmeric oil, ginger oil, pimento berry oil and frankincense oil. Katcheri oil is also used in the tobacco industry, incense sticks, Ayurvedic medications and few other perfumes. This oil was also used as an aphrodisiac in the Middle ages.
Latin Name: Alpinia galanga.
Alternative Names: Galangal oil, Siamese Ginger, Gao Ling, False ginger oil.
Galangal plant is cultivated in many tropical parts of Asia. It grows well in shaded areas as it does not prefer direct sunlight. This plant prefers well drained soil for its fertile growth. It is generally cultivated by separating and replanting the rhizomes during the spring season. Galangal roots are harvested only when the plants are four to six years old, usually at the end of the growing season. Katcheri oil has aphrodisiac, anti-fungal, tonic, stimulant, anti-tumor, diaphoretic, carminative, anti-rheumatic, digestive, aromatic and anti-bacterial properties. It contains eucalyptol, alpinin, eugenol, kaempferid, galangin, starch, volatile oils, pinene, essential oil, cineole, resins and galangol.
Uses: Kappor Katcheri oil is used to treat indigestion, cholera, catarrh, dyspepsia, enteritis, ulcer, candida, hiccups, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory problems in children, abdominal pain and catarrhal affections like bronchial catarrh.
