In this review, the botany and uses of Alpinia zerumbet (yan shan jiang) are described, and the current knowledge of its phytochemistry, pharmacological properties, and clinical trials is summarized. An important ginger crop in East Asia, A. zerumbet has many uses, both medicinal and non-medicinal. Leaves are used to produce essential oils and herbal teas. Rhizomes are consumed as spices, and stem fibers are made into paper, fabrics, and handicrafts. In Brazil, tea from A. zerumbet leaves is believed to have hypotensive, diuretic, and anti-ulcerogenic properties. This species possesses many medicinal properties due to its chemical constituents, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, kava pyrones, sterols, and terpenoids. Extracts of A. zerumbet display antioxidant, antimicrobial, insecticidal, anthelmintic, tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitory, anti-atherogenic, anti-aging, anti-glycation, integrase and neuraminidase inhibitory, lifespan prolongation, hair growth promotion, anticancer, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anti-obesity, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-platelet, osteoblastic, osteogenic, thrombolytic, and cardiacarrhythmogenic activities. Essential oils of A. zerumbet leaves have antimicrobial, larvicidal, antinociceptive, hypotensive, vasorelaxant, myorelaxant, antispasmodic, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anti-neuraminidase, anti-atherogenic, anti-aging, anti-melanogenic, anti-tyrosinase, cytoprotective, cardiodepressive, antipsychotic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and tissue healing activities.Clinical trials conducted in Brazil showed that extracts of A. zerumbet have hypotensive and diuretic effects whereas topical application of the essential oil has positive therapeutic effects on patients with fibromyalgia. Spanning two continents of Asia and South America, A. zerumbetis truly a multi-purpose ginger plant with promising medicinal properties.
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