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Korarima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P. C. M. Jansen) is one of the Ethiopian native perennial aromatic herbs belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. Conservation of genotypes and genetic improvement of korarima has been hampered due to lack of evidences on genetic diversity of korarima. Genetic diversity of 44 korarima collections was assessed based on joint capsules and seeds morphological and phytochemical characters. Chemical composition of essential oil in seed samples has also been investigated. Physical measurements were done manually while total organic nutrients, crude fiber and total ash in the seeds were done in terms of proximate analysis. Essential oil in the seed samples was extracted by hydro-distillation and its chemical composition was analyzed with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). ANOVA revealed significant variations in all the variables considered except capsule and seed shape. Ayda collections showed the largest record for fresh capsule weight (25.3 g), dry capsule weight (6.6 g), hundred seed weight (2.8 g), seed to husk ratio (2.1), total organic matter (66.6%) and seed essential oil (7.3%). Collection from Bazet was also excellent in dry weight of seed per capsule (4.45 g) while those from Metser were best in fruit husk essential oil (1.45%). Cluster analysis of the 44 collections revealed four groups each showing large (23.82–280.13) and significant (p

Ten plant species, Cuminum cyminum seed, Foeniculum vulgare seed, Trachyspermum ammi seed, Nigella sativa seed, Coriandrum sativum seed, Aframomum corrorima fruit, Zingiber officinale rhizome, Cinnamomum aromaticum bark, Rosemary officinalis leaf and stem, and Thymus schimperi leaf, which are traditionally used as spices in Ethiopia were hydrodistilled to isolate their volatile constituents in order to identify their character-impact odorants. These spices comprise of 4%, 5.5%, 4%, 0.8%, 0.3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 1.2% and 0.7% essential oil by mass. The GC-MS analysis of these essential oils obtained from these ten species led to the identification of 64 compounds. Twenty-three formulations were developed, of which 16 were from powdered spices to flavor bread (food) while the remaining seven were obtained from essential oil for flavoring bread and local areki (beverage). The flavor characteristics of these formulated samples were investigated by using GC-MSD and descriptive sensory analysis techniques. The key aroma impact compounds in each flavor were detected and the ultimate customer sensory taste of the products was determined for all samples. Results from the organoleptic evaluations of bread samples showed that the flavors prepared by adding essential oils of Foeniculum vulgare, Cuminum cyminum, Aframomum corrorima, Nigella sativa, and Trachyspermum ammi after fermentation had highest overall acceptability. Furthermore, local areki comprising of formulas developed from oil samples obtained from Foeniculum vulgare and Coriandrum sativum had better overall acceptability.

Os niveis dos metais essenciais (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn e Ni) e nao essenciais (Cd e Pb) foram determinados por espectrometria de absorcao atomica de chama em amostras de sementes de korarima (Aframomum corrorima) e tambem nos solos correspondentes colhidos no sul e sudoeste da Etiopia. Um procedimento de digestao umida envolvendo o uso de 3 mL HNO3 (69-72%) e 1 mL HClO4 (70%) foi usado para solubilizar os metais das amostras de sementes de korarima, e um reagente de agua-regia (HCl:HNO3) modificada pela adicao de peroxido de hidrogenio (6 mL de agua-regia e 1,5 mL H2O2) foi usada para as amostras de solo. Os niveis dos nutrientes nas amostras de sementes de korarima estavam nas seguintes faixas: Ca (1794-2181); Mg (1626-2067); Mn (141-180); Fe (37-46); Zn (12-18); Ni (6,6-8,5); Cu (5,8-8,3); Cr (3,8-5,8); e Co (2,0-2,3) em µg g–1, respectivamente. A concentracao de cadmio nao essencial estava na faixa de 0.9-1 µg g–1 enquanto o valor para chumbo foi abaixo dos limites de deteccao do metodo. Houve boa correlacao entre os niveis dos metais Ni, Fe, Cd, Cu e Mg, nas sementes de korarima e nas amostras de solo, mas pouca correlacao entre o restante dos metais (Cr, Zn, Mn, Co).

Korarima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the family Zingiberaceae in which lack of a steady supply of quality planting material is one of the bottlenecks for the exploitation of the export potential. Thus, the use of micropropagation is suggested to alleviate these problems. In micropropagation, in vitro seed germination and multiplication of hypocotyls/shoot tips to regenerate shoots is preferred because it minimizes sterilization cost. So far, there was no available efficient protocol optimization on in vitro propagation of korarima in Ethiopia. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to determine the optimum concentration of Kinetin (KIN) and N-6-benzyladenine (BA) on in vitro regenerating of korarima explants from hypocotyls/shoot tips. Multiplied shoots were subcultured on hormone free medium for four weeks to avoid carryover effect. The different concentrations of KIN (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/l) and/or BA (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 mg/l) were arranged in randomized complete design (CRD) with four replications. Results indicate that medium containing 6.0 mg/l of BA alone was found to be optimum for shoot induction after six weeks. High level of BA alone was found the best for excess shoot proliferation, but high level of KIN mostly enhances longer shoots and regenerates minor roots. Generally, it can be concluded that Korarima can successfully induce shoot from hypocotyls that originated from seeds without any contamination on the initial inoculation of the explants and higher concentration of BA (6.0 mg/l) could be used to obtain desirable shoot regeneration of korarima. Key words: Cytokinins, N-6-benzyladenine (BA), hypocotyls, kinetin (KIN), shoot induction, shoot Multiplication, in vitro.

To highlight the importance of the spices in the Mediterranean diet, the aim of the paper was to study the essential oil compositions and to clarify the potential differences in the biological activities of the three cardamom species. In the study, we compared the phytochemical profiles and biological activities of essential oils from Elettaria cardamomum, Aframomum corrorima and Amomum subulatum. The oils were analyzed using the GC and GC/MS techniques and were mainly constituted of the oxygenated monoterpenes which represents 71.4%, 63.0%, and 51.0% of all compounds detected in E. cardamomum, A. corrorima and A. subulatum essential oils, respectively, 1,8-cineole was the main common compound between the tree tested volatile oil. The essential oils showed significant antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms tested especially the fungal strains. The Ethiopian cardamom was the most active essential oil with fungal growth inhibition zone ranging from 12.67 to 34.33 mm, MICs values ranging from 0.048 to 0.19 mg/mL, and MBCs values from 0.19 to 1.75 mg/mL. The three tested essential oils and their main component (1,8-cineole) significantly increased the production of elastase and protease production, and motility in P. aeruginosa PAO1 in a dose dependent manner. In fact, at 10 mg/mL concentration, the three essential oils showed more than 50% of inhibition of elastolytic and proteolytic activities in P. aeruginosa PAO1. The same oils inhibited also the violacein production in C. violaceum strain. It was also noticed that at high concentrations, the A. corrorima essential oil significantly inhibited the germination of radish. A thorough knowledge of the biological and safety profiles of essential oils can produce applications of economic importance.

A field experiment was conducted at Tepi, southwest Ethiopia, from 2013 – 2017, to determine optimum plant population yield of component crops and land productivity in the coffee/korarima intercropping system. Test crops were Catimore-J21 variety for coffee and a local variety of korarima. The experiment consisted of five treatments arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Data collected were statistically analyzed using SAS computer software. The productivity of the system was evaluated using a land equivalent ratio. Results showed that the coffee yield was significantly (p

Background Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) is a perennial and aromatic herb native and widely distributed in southwestern Ethiopia. It is known for its fine flavor as a spice in various Ethiopian traditional dishes. Few molecular studies have been performed on this species so far. In the present paper, the ISSR technique was employed to study the genetic diversity in populations of cultivated A. corrorima. Results Seven ISSR primers produced a total of 86 clearly scorable DNA bands. High levels of genetic diversity were detected in cultivated A. corrorima (percentage of polymorphic bands = 97.67%, gene diversity = 0.35, Shannon’s information index = 0.52). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that 27.47% of the variation is attributed to the variation among populations and 72.53% to the variation within populations. The Fst (0.28) value showed a significant (p

The contribution of Jonathan Pereira to plant taxonomy is reviewed. He described three species in the course of his extensive publications on materia medica. All three are members of the Zingiberaceae. Elettaria cardamomum-zeylanicum J. Pereira from Sri Lanka has been completely overlooked since its publication. It is a synonym of Elettaria cardamomum var. major Baker. The West African Amomum citratum J. Pereira is correctly known as Aframomum citratum (J. Pereira) K. Schum. Amomum korarima J. Pereira is a synonym of Aframomum corrorima (A. Braun) P. C. M. Jansen, an important spice-plant from Ethiopia. The typification of these taxa and their synonyms is reviewed. This includes new lectotypifications for two species described by Gaertner, Zingiber ensal and Z. minus. A note concerning the valid publication of 14 nomenclatural novelties by B. A. Abeywickrama is included.

Korarima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) production is declining mainly due to destruction of the plant’s natural habitat. A survey was conducted in the three major korarima growing administrative zones, Gamo Gofa, Debub Omo and Kaffa in southern Ethiopia to assess indigenous production practices, wealth status, farm based biodiversity and household characteristics using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and semi-structured questionnaires. The wealth is unevenly distributed among households and not significantly different for korarima growers and non-korarima growers. Farmers acknowledged that shortage of shade trees; low yield and lack of improved varieties had contributed to decrease in production area (PA). A total of three distinct named korarima landraces were recorded, with a range from one to three on individual farms implying low farm based biodiversity. More households grew enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) in Gamo Gofa and Kaffa while maize (Zea mays L.) was grown by nearly all households in Debub Omo. Only a few households grew korarima. Most of the household characteristics significantly affected the PA of korarima. The correlation coefficients indicated that the relationship of household characteristics were significant. Findings of this study suggest that the maintenance of shade trees on the main farm field is the main requirement for korarima production.

Currently, there are more than 85,000 plant species that have been documented for medical use globally. This implies, plant derived natural products hold great promise for discovery and development of new pharmaceuticals in diverse human ailments. Among these divers medicinal species Aframomum corrorima, Commiphora myrrha, Nigella sativa, Ocimum lamiifolium and Olea europaea are one of very well known valuable plants in serving the local people as spice, flavor, fumigants, and sources of traditional and modern medicines. In modern science their medicinal activities have been corroborated by phytochemical and biological research investigations. As the biological studies revealed they have antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties even though further investigation required on in vivo and animal model to ascertain those in vitro activities are really valuable in life. The phytochemical investigations have also shown that these plants are holder of diversified useful compound classes like terpene, steroid, flavonoid, glycoside, fatty acid and alkaloids. However, their pharmacology and pharmacokinetics activities have to be further investigated in order to make sure their metabolic effect upon their usage because some compounds have ability to be metabolized during in vivo analysis, and to see whether these compounds have synergic or additive effects. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper is to present the compiled and unified scientific studies which have been done on the above well known medicinal plants about their description, medicinal uses, volatile and extracted active compounds, and chemical structures of isolated compounds in justification with scientific researches.

Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) is native crop to Ethiopia, herbaceous, perennial and aromatic spice. Production is much lower mainly due to constraints such as lack of improved variety and poor agronomic practices. Thus, the current study was conducted with the objective of determining rooting media on nursery performance. The experiment was executed at Teppi National Spice Research Center. The treatments arranged in RCBD in three replications, with the seven level of rooting media (FS, ForS, DCH, FS+ForS, FS+DCH, ForS+DCH and FS+ForS +DCH) were assigned as rooting media respectively. Analysis of the results revealed that the plant height, leaf length, leaf area, leaf number fresh and dry biomass of the shoot were highly responded to the growth rooting media but tiller production, fresh and dry biomass of the root were not responded to the growth rooting media. The most reliable and recommendable rooting media on best nursery performance of Korarima was forest soil in South west, Ethiopia.

Essential oil from the seeds and husks of Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen were analysed by gas chromatography (GC–MS), and 55 compounds were identified. The main constituents found in the seed oil were the monoterpenes 1,8-cineole (44.3%) and sabinene (17.3%), whereas sesquiterpenic structures (≥2%) such as (E)-nerolidol (17.2%), β-caryophyllene (9.7%) and caryophyllene oxide (6.9%), dominated in the husk oil. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Les graines de la fausse cardamome kororima, Aframomum corrorima (Braun) Jansen, maniguette endémique d’Éthiopie, constituent une épice indispensable, emblématique du pays tout entier, aux usages multiples et quasi quotidiens. Plante spontanée des sous-bois des forêts humides du Kafa, c’est aussi une plante cultivée dans les jardins de diverses régions de l’Éthiopie méridionale.Cet article, à partir de l’analyse de la production et des filières de commercialisation de la kororima, se propose de mettre en lumière les relations qui lient provenances, spécificité et qualité des produits. Sur le marché national, les diverses productions localisées d’Éthiopie finissent par nourrir deux filières bien disjointes dont les produits finaux sont désignés du nom de deux zones principales de production : classiquement, la kororima du Gofa et la kororima du Kafa ne se concurrencent pas et sont toutes les deux présentes dans les boutiques et sur les étalages d’épices des marchés d’Addis-Abeba. Parfaitement distinguées par tous les acteurs de la filière qui connaissent leurs spécificités (aspects, couleur, odeur, goût), elles sont considérées comme deux produits de qualité différente, reflets de conditions de production (spontanée/cultivée) et de modes de préparation et de séchage. Elles sont destinées à deux types de clientèles et d’usages. La kororima de Gofa, de qualité supérieure, est vendue plus cher, à une clientèle plus aisée et pour des usages plus valorisés.Depuis une petite décennie, les efforts de valorisation des produits issus de l’écosystème coffee forest et des jardins d’Éthiopie, pour conserver la biodiversité forestière et horticole, ont vu dans la kororima un produit idéal : plusieurs tentatives de développement, de promotion et de commercialisation ont eu lieu. Celles qui concernent la kororima du Kafa, dont la qualité a été améliorée, se heurtent aux habitudes de consommation et de commercialisation : les provenances nouvellement valorisées ont du mal à faire reconnaître leur spécificité et à se tailler une place sur les marchés. Seeds of false cardamom kororima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) Jansen), malagueta pepper endemic of Ethiopia, is an unavoidable spice, emblematic of the whole country with multiple uses and quite routine uses. Spontaneous within the lowest stratum of the Kafa moist forest, it is also a cultivated plant in the gardens of several regions in southern Ethiopia.This paper, starting from the analysis of production and commercial chains of kororima, aims to put light on the relation between provenances, specificity and quality on the national Ethiopian market. At the national level, various localized productions of kororima converge into two main commercial chains well separated of which final products are named after the two main zones of production : classically, kororima from Gofa and kororima from Kafa are not competing and one can find the two provenances in each shop and spice corners of Addis Ababa markets. Clearly distinguished by the actors of the commercial chain who recognize perfectly the specificities (aspect, colour, odour, taste), they are considered as two products of two different qualities resulting from conditions of production (spontaneous/cultivated), way of transformation, and drying processes.Since a few decades, there have been valorisation efforts of products coming from coffee forest ecosystems as well as homegardens of Ethiopia in order to contribute to conservation of the rich and unique forest and garden biodiversity. In this context, kororima appears as a very convenient product and numerous initiatives of commercialization have been set up.These two products are targeted/end up for two categories of consumers and utilization. Gofa kororima, which is of higher quality, is sold at higher price to well off consumer for more valorised purposes. Recent effort of promoting Kafa kororima, which quality has been ameliorated, is facing to the consumption habit and existing commercialization patterns. Various provenances which quality has been ameliorated have some difficulties to find a good place in the market.

A morphological description, the habitat and areas where 28 aromatic plants can be found growing in Ethiopia and their local uses is presented. Of the plants discussed, seven are cultivated (Trachyspermumammi, Artemisia rehan, Lepidum sativum, Ocimum basilicum, Ruta chalepensis, Curcuma domestica and Zingiber officinale), five are endemic (Echinops kebericho, Thymus schimperi, T. serrulatus, Lippia adoensis and Aframomum corrorima), while the other 16 aromatic plants (Boswellia papyrifera, B. microphylla, Commiphora myrrha, Ajugaintegrifolia, Ocimum americanum, O. forskolei, O. lamiifolium, O. gratissimum, Satureja abyssinica, S. biflora, S. punctata, Cymbopogon citratus, Lippia carviodora, L. dauensis, Premna resinosa and P. schimperi) can also be found growing in other African countries. The chemical composition of Trachysperrmum ammi (carvacrol 69%); Artemisia rehan (davanone44.4%); Ocimumamericanum (linalool 15.3%, camphor 15.1% and terpinen-4-ol 17.6%); O. gratissimum(eugenol 57.4%); O. fors...

Since time immemorial food preservation has been a common practice. Most of these preservatives come form natural sources such as herbs and spices. Currently, synthetic antioxidants are extensively incorporated in foods and cosmetics for the prevention of lipid peroxidation. Some of these synthetic antioxidants, however, have been shown to be carcinogenic and since quite recently, efforts are underway to develop effective and safer natural antioxidants targeting mainly herbs and spices. In Ethiopia, the aerial parts of Lippia adoensis var. koseret and Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens, rhizomes of Zingiber officinalis , and seeds of Aframomum corrorima are used to spice cooking butter and also to preserve its freshness for a long time. The volatile oils of these plants, obtained by hydrodistillation, and the methanolic extract of spiced butter were tested for their radical scavenging activity using TLC and 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The antioxidant principles of the examined volatile oils were detected in the methanolic extract of the cooking butter spiced with the four plants. Quantitative studies showed that the volatile oils were able to reduce the stable radical, DPPH to the yellow coloured 2,2-diphenylpicrayl-1-hydrazine in a dosedependent manner. The strongest effect was exhibited by the essential oil of the aerial parts of O. basilicum var. purpurascens (IC 50 = 0.04 µl/ml) whereas the weakest effect was shown by that of the seeds A. corrorima (IC 50 = 34.9 µl/ml). The antioxidant potentials of the oil obtained from the aerial parts of L. adoensis var. koseret and the rhizomes of Z. officinalis were somewhat intermediate (IC 50 = 6.13 and 9.66 µl/ml, respectively). The results of this study may provide a rational explanation for the traditional use of these plants to prevent rancidity and preserve the freshness of cooking butter, which could be attributed to their radical scavenging activity. Keywords : spiced butter, volatile oils, TLC analysis, antioxidant activity, DPPH assay Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Journal Vol. 23 2005: 7-14

One hundred twenty five samples from five different Ethiopian sauce spices were examined for the incidence and level of contamination of Bacillus species. The spices consisted of fenugreek (Trigenella foenum-graecum), black cumin (Nigella sativa), Ethiopian caraway (Trachyspermum ammi), ginger (Zingiber officinale) and korarim cardamon (Aframomum corrorima). Spore counts ranged from log 1.63 cfu(g)-1 in cumin to log 8.32 cfu(g)-1 in ginger. Of the 781 Bacillus isolates obtained, the most frequently encountered species was Bacillus pumilus (43.7%) followed by B. subtilis (16.6%), B. circulans (11.2%), B. licheniformis (8.2%) and B. cereus (4.9%). The B. pumilus and B. subtilis isolates were active in proteolysis and lipolysis, whereas B. cereus isolates were more proteolytic and amylolytic. All test strains grew well in three different types of traditional Ethiopian sauces, but growth was markedly lower in vegetable-based sauces. Spoilage was manifested only in the form of foul odour, and was noted faster in legume-based sauces ( SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 23, No. 1 (June 2000), pp. 87-101 Key words/phrases: Bacillus spp., Ethiopia, sauces, spices, spoilage

WOS: 000168774600023, Water-distilled essential oils from the seeds of Aframomum corrorima and A. angustifolium were analyzed by GC/MS. Fifty compounds were characterized representing 99.8% of the oil with 1,8-cineole (32.6%) and (E)-nerolidol (11.2%) as major constituents in the oil of A. corrorima. In the oil of A, angustifolium, 60 components were characterized representing 97.6% of the oil with beta -pinene (24.8%), beta -caryophyllene (17.8%) and cis-pinocarvyl acetate (11%) as main constituents.

Background Traditional medicinal plants have been used as an alternative medicine in many parts of the world, including Ethiopia. There are many documented scientific reports on antimicrobial activities of the same. To our knowledge, however, there is no report on the anti-Quorum Sensing (Quorum Quenching, QQ) potential of traditional Ethiopian medicinal plants. As many of the opportunistic pathogenic bacteria depend on Quorum Sensing (QS) systems to coordinate their virulence expression, interference with QS could be a novel approach to control bacterial infections. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate selected medicinal plants from Ethiopia for their antimicrobial activities against bacterial and fungal pathogens; and to assess the interference of these plant extracts with QS of bacteria. Methods Antimicrobial activities of plant extracts (oil, resins and crude extracts) were evaluated following standard agar diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of potent extracts were determined using 96 well micro-titer plates and optical densities were measured using an ELISA Microplate reader. Interference with Quorum Sensing activities of extracts was determined using the recently established E. coli based reporter strain AI1-QQ.1 and signaling molecule N-(ß-ketocaproyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL). Results Petroleum ether extract of seed of Nigella sativa exhibited the highest activity against both the laboratory isolated Bacillus cereus [inhibition zone (IZ), 44 ± 0.31 mm] and B. cereus ATCC 10987 (IZ, 40 ± 2.33 mm). Similarly, oil extract from mature ripe fruit husk of Aframomum corrorima and mature unripe fruit of A. corrorima revealed promising activities against Candida albicans ATCC 90028 (IZ, 35 ± 1.52 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus DSM 346 (IZ, 25 ± 1.32 mm), respectively. Antimicrobial activities of oil extract from husk of A. corrorima and petroleum ether extract of seed of N. sativa were significantly higher than that of the control antibiotic [Gentamycin sulfate, (IZ, 25–30 mm)]. The lowest MIC value (12.5 mg/mL) was recorded for oil from husk of A. corrorima against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Of the total eighteen extracts evaluated, two of the extracts [Methanol extract of root of Albiza schimperiana (ASRM) and petroleum ether extract of seed of Justica schimperiana (JSSP)] interfered with cell-cell communication most likely by interacting with the signaling molecules. Conclusion Traditional medicinal plants from Ethiopia are potential source of alternative medicine for the local community and scientific research in search for alternative drugs to halt challenges associated with the emerging antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, the Quorum Quenching activities observed in two of the plant extracts calls for more comprehensive evaluation of medicinal plants for the control of many bacterial processes and phenotypic behaviors such as pathogenicity, swarming, and biofilm formation. Being the first assessment of its kind on the potential application of Ethiopian traditional medicinal plants for interference in microbial cell-cell communication (anti-Quorum Sensing activities), the detailed chemistry of the active compounds and possible mechanism(s) of actions of the bio-molecules responsible for the observed interference were not addressed in the current study. Thus, further evaluation for the nature of those active compounds (bio-molecules) and detailed mechanism(s) of their interaction with microbial processes are recommended.