Alpinia oxyphylla Miq.: Chemical Constituents, Neuroprotective and Metabolic Effects, and Translational Challenges—A Review of Preclinical Evidence

Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. (AOM), a traditional resource with both medicinal and edible uses, has attracted increasing interest for its reported neuroprotective and metabolic activities. However, its active constituents, molecular mechanisms, and potential applications in functional food development remain incompletely defined. This review consolidates evidence on the major bioactive constituents of AOM, including diphenylheptanoids, polysaccharides, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolic acids, and summarizes reported molecular targets and pathways associated with neural and metabolic homeostasis. The available preclinical evidence suggests that AOM and its constituents may affect experimental models of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and related complications through modulation of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, PI3K/Akt‐associated signaling, and the gut microbiota‐metabolite axis. Some AOM‐containing herb‐pair formulations have also shown enhanced effects in preclinical models, and AOM constituents have been associated with anti‐allergic, cardioprotective, and antitumor activities. Finally, this review discusses translational challenges for AOM‐based functional food and nutraceutical development, including bioavailability, quality control, delivery systems, safety, and the scarcity of human clinical evidence. Overall, the current evidence supports AOM as a promising botanical resource for further mechanistic and translational research, while therapeutic and product‐development claims should be interpreted with appropriate caution until supported by robust clinical and safety data.