Alpinia zerumbet

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Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. They are grown as ornamentals and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine. They are also sometimes known as the pink porcelain lily, variegated ginger or butterfly ginger.

Its leaves are sold as herbal tea and are also used to flavour noodles and wrap mochi rice cakes. Its tea has hypotensive, diuretic and antiulcerogenic properties. The leaves and rhizomes have been proven effective against HIV-1 integrase and neuraminidase enzymes, and has also shown anti-diabetic effect. Besides, the antioxidant activities of different parts of Alpinia zerumbet have already been reported.