Curcuma zedoaria Rosc. (white turmeric): a review of its chemical, pharmacological and ethnomedicinal properties.

OBJECTIVES Curcuma zedoaria Rosc is a perennial herb found in tropical countries, such as India, Japan and Thailand. Various parts of this plant are used in Ayurveda and other folk medicines for the treatment of different ailments such as diarrhoea, cancer, flatulence and dyspepsia. This study is an attempt to compile an up-to-date and comprehensive review of C. zedoaria that covers its traditional and folk medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology. KEY FINDINGS Research carried out using different in-vitro and in-vivo techniques of biological evaluation supports most of the claims. SUMMARY This review presents the botany, chemistry, traditional uses and pharmacological data of the plant.