Bioactivity and Synthesis of Diarylheptanoids From Alpinia officinarum

Many diarylheptanoids were isolated from the galangal (rhizome of Alpinia officinarum). We are reported the antitumor-promoting, antiinflammatory, cytotoxic, antiinfluenza virus, and antiherpes simplex-1 virus activities of diarylheptanoids. These components in our dietary and herbal supplements are considered to be relatively nontoxic to human. In addition, we synthesized the new compounds. In this review, we discuss the antitumor-promoting, antiinflammatory, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antiinfluenza, and antiherpes simplex-1 virus activities of diarylheptanoids isolated from galangal resulting from our own and other research groups' investigation.