HEDYCHIUM: A COMPREHENSIVE EXPLORATION OF ITS PHYTOCHEMICAL AND MEDICINAL SIGNIFICANCE

Plants in the Zingiberaceae family, including the genus Hedychium, have been extensively studied for their phytochemistry and pharmacological properties.Numerous bioactive compounds have been isolated from these plants, demonstrating significant pharmacological effects.Hedychium species are commonly used in folk medicine across various countries.Hedychium genus is recognized for its significant medicinal properties, which are utilized in various folk remedies worldwide.These plants are employed to address a range of health issues such as allergies, cancer, diabetes, inflammation, rheumatism, and skin ailments.Additionally, they serve as analgesics, antimicrobials, anti-helminthics, antioxidants, and insect repellents.Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of these plants, focusing on their essential oils, extracts, and pure secondary metabolites.Among these species, Hedychium coronarium and Hedychium spicatum are the most extensively researched.This review highlights the potential of Hedychium plants as a source of natural medicinal products, its phyto-constituents and pharmacological properties.Due to unauthorized harvesting and uncontrolled use of its rhizome extract in producing different kinds of drugs, the original population of this species has vanished.It's necessary to reintroduce this plant into its native environment for its conservation.