Secondary an alternative to the medicinal field

Secondary metabolites or widely known as phytochemicals is a chemical compound that is produce through chemical pathways by plants (Holopainen, MinnaKivimäenpää, Tiitto, 2017). Commonly, phytochemicals are important tool for the plants to have interaction with other organisms with the same environment and even for their communication.

Second metabolites are also responsible for the attraction of some beneficial organisms, while in other situation it can deter or may kill other plants.  Wary phytochemicals can detect optically by smelling or tasting (Osbourn, Goss, Carter, 2014). Phytochemicals have the ability to provide a health benefits like: (1) substances for the base of biochemical reactions; (2) helper molecules for enzymatic reactions; (3) anticatalyst of synthetic reactions; (4) absorbent that can remove harmful components in the intestine; (5) scavenge the toxic chemicals. In other researches, supports the phytochemical’s health benefits for example fight against cancers, parasitic infection, psychotic diseases, coronary diseases, kidney problems, etc that is based on their mechanisms (Dillard and German, 2015). Due to the efficacy of phytochemicals the use of this are rapidly growing in nutraceutical and pharmaceuticals that the  industries may encounter new challenges; in promoting the efficiency of supplements and foods that is said to be health-promoting; monitoring the implemented safety of manufacturing in terms of stabilities and qualities; and in commercializing issues.

The Southeast Asia is a unique continent among the geographical region of the world due to its rich biodiversity, cultural diversity, ancient civilization and abundant raw material for the innovation of drug manufacturing and in the cosmetic industry; and traditional medicine has long been accepted as an alternative to the medicinal field in many countries; that help people who cannot afford generic medicines (Khairul, Hamid, and Susanti, 2015).  According to daily inquirer (2018) 55 percent of Filipinos are using alternative medicine due to they cannot afford of buying. Most of the continents considered Kaempferia galanga as the beneficial plant for traditional and modern medicinal field particularly in Southeast Asian countries namely India, Thailand, Southern China, Philippines, and Malaysia.   In India, according to the article of Raina and Abraham (2015), it proves that the rhizome using hydrodistillation process” showed that it contains higher yield of pharmacological composition. Even the leaves are used for swellings, ophthalmia, and rheumatism (Preetha, Hemanthakamar, and Krishnam, 2015). Warren Shapiro and Jon Anderson patented a newly improved cosmetic that globally competent to help people seek alternative cosmetic product especially those who have skin allergies or sensitive skin that result to skin irritation and discoloration due to chemical reactants of usual cosmetic.

In addition, they also discover that the extract of kaempferia galanga can be used as sunscreen (Raina and Abraham, 2015) and even as a perfume in the Philippines. The constituents of Kaempferia galanga has said to have second metabolites that is identified and to be beneficial but in other situation not all chemical compounds can bring either good or bad results, thus, second metabolites are not all beneficial for medicinal or food function for humans or organisms.