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All About Ginger:
An Introduction
"Ginger - As versatile as garlic, and the best cure for nausea."
What is Ginger ?
Family: Gingiberaceae
Genus and Species: Gingiber officinale
Ginger is a canelike, tuberous perennial plant native to southern Asia, and grows to a height of about 3 feet. The fresh
rhizomes (not radix - or root) appear as irregular, fleshy bulbs, and in yellowish green color. Chinese and other Asian
cuisines use ginger bulbs extensively for its spice, flavor and digestive properties. China and India are world's leading
producers of ginger. Ginger is also cultivated in most of tropical and subtropical countries worldwide.
Ginger rhizome has been extensively used for spice and medicine in Asian cuisines. Ginger has been used as a medicine since
ancient times as recorded in early Sanskrit and Chinese texts and ancient Greek, Roman, and Arabic literatures. Ginger is
almost as versatile as garlic in its health benefits. Ginger does almost everything that garlic does, and in addition,
ginger is one of the best medicines for nausea, motion sickness (such as seasickness) and dizziness, and is also a
traditional digestive aid.
History
Ginger has been in medicinal use for thousands of years. Chinese sailors chewed ginger rhizome to prevent and treat
seasickness. In Asian medical practices, dried ginger has been used to treat stomachache, diarrhea, and motion sickness
for thousands of years. Ayuveda medicine also used ginger for flatulent intestinal colic. Ginger teas have been popular
in China, India, Korea, and Japan as favorites and medicines. Ginger has been an important medicinal
herb in Germany, which imports it in large quantity for use in anti-emetic stomach medicines. In the US, ginger was once
an official medicine in United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and National Formulary as a carminative, aromatic, and stimulant.
King's American Dispensatory indicated it for loss of appetite, flatulence, borborygmus (rumbling or gurgling sound of gas
in the intestines), spasmodic gastric and intestinal contractions, and cool extremities [Herbal Medicine - Expanded
Commission E monographs, by Mark Blumenthal, Alicia Goldberg, and Josef Brinckmann, first edition, 2000].
Usage
Ginger's therapeutic effects are: stomachic, anti-emetic, salivant, stimulant, digestive, and cardiotonic. Ginger is
helpful for soothing stomach, travel sickness, dizziness, morning sickness (vomitting of pregnancy), angina, arthritis,
body odor, chronic fatigue syndrome, colds, cough, high cholesterol, pain, sore throat, swelling, tendinitis, and
toothache.
Ginger's digestive properties are well known in Asia and Europe. Ginger contains a digetive food enzyme called
zingibain, which exceeds papain (from papaya) in digestive potency. Ginger also increases the concentration of
carbohydrate-digesting enzyme amylase in saliva. Further down the digestive tract, ginger improves digestion and
elimination by activating peristalsis [A Handbook of Chinese Healing Herbs, by Daniel Reid, 1995].
Like garlic, ginger also lowers blood cholesterol and reduces platelet aggregates as reported recently, and could
be helpful for cardiovascular health.
A daily dose of 2-4 grams of cut or dried ginger rhizome is recommended by German Commission E.
No side effects or interaction with other drugs has been reported for ginger.
Chemistry and Pharmacology
A rather complete chemical composition list of ginger can be found in Dr.
Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases.
Ginger rhizome contains oleoresin (4.0-7.5%) composed of non-volatile pungent principles (phenols such as gingerols and their related
dehydration products shogaols), non-pungent substances (fats and waxes), and volatile oils; volatile oil (1.0-3.3%), of which 30-70% are
sesquiterpenes, mainly beta-bisabolene, (-)-zingiberene, beta-sesquiphellandrene, and (+)-ar-curcumene, and monoterpenes, mainly
geranial and neral; carbohydrates, mainly starch (40-60%); proteins (9-10%); lipids (6-10%) composed of triglycerides,
phosphatidic acid, lecithins, and free fatty acids; vitamins niacin and A; minerals; and amino acids [Herbal Medicine - Expanded
Commission E monographs].
Ginger Research:
Anecdotal Evidences?
As a medicinal herb, ginger was used for a variety of discomforts throughout Asia and Europe, most notably for stomache ailments
and nausea. In Chinese pharmacopeia, ginger is recommended for gastric pain, vomitting and diarrhea, faint pulse and cold
extremities, and coughs with phlegm. Recent scientific studies have confirmed these traditional use of ginger, and found additional
medicinal properties of ginger.
Scientific and Clinical Studies
The use of ginger for various conditions listed above are well supported by modern science as well as traditional use.
Some examples of study reports are presented as a list of abstracts below.
Examples: Selected of Reports
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11876024&dopt=Abstract
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 2001 Nov;23(9):501-3 - Reversal of pyrogallol-induced delay in gastric emptying in rats by ginger
(Zingiber officinale)
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11710709&dopt=Abstract
Arthritis Rheum 2001 Nov;44(11):2531-8 - Effects of a ginger extract on knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11553371&dopt=Abstract
Thromb Res 2001 Sep 1;103(5):387-97 - Gingerols and related analogues inhibit arachidonic acid-induced human platelet serotonin
release and aggregation
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11538042&dopt=Abstract
Clin Res Pr Drug Regul Aff 1988;6(2):129-36 - Comparison of efficacy of ginger with various antimotion sickness drugs
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11509171&dopt=Abstract
J Fam Pract 2001 Aug;50(8):720 - Is ginger root effective for decreasing the severity of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy?
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11482162&dopt=Abstract
Indian J Med Sci 2001 Feb;55(2):83-6 - Ginger, fat and fibrinolysis
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11455660&dopt=Abstract
Pest Manag Sci 2001 Mar;57(3):289-300 - Insect growth inhibition, antifeedant and antifungal activity of compounds isolated/derived
from Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) rhizomes
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11275030&dopt=Abstract
Obstet Gynecol 2001 Apr;97(4):577-82 - Ginger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10801908&dopt=Abstract
J Nutr 2000 May;130(5):1124-31 - Ginger extract consumption reduces plasma cholesterol, inhibits LDL oxidation and attenuates
development of atherosclerosis in atherosclerotic, apolipoprotein E-deficient mice
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10691642&dopt=Abstract
J Agric Food Chem 2000 Feb;48(2):373-7 - Isolation of novel glucosides related to gingerdiol from ginger and their antioxidative activities
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10607493&dopt=Abstract
Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2000 Jan;8(1):9-12 - A randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of ginger extracts and ibuprofen
in osteoarthritis
Outlook
Ginger is an excellent source of pleasing spice and flavor beloved by many, and a safe herb with a whole gamut of health benefits
ranging from anti-oxidant and anti-emetic to pain and arthritis aid. As scientific researches will corroborate these medicinal
effects and add to the growing list, ginger as well as garlic, will be increasingly in demand as a favorite food additive and
dietary supplement.
Ginger Links
GreenCanyon.com - Ginger Information
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh - The Ginger Family ? Zingiberaceae
Nutrition Research - Arthritic pain benefited by ginger extract
Herbx.com Herb World News Online - Systematic Review of Ginger Trials Yields "Promising" Outcome
Health News, Australia - Ginger has painkilling properties: research
VitaCost.com - Ginger Info Page
Royal British Columbia Museum - Natural History: Wild Ginger
BBC News Article - Ginger eases arthritis pain
Essortment.com - Nutrition for Health Problems: anti-nausea effect of ginger
NaturalProducts.org - Ginger Information Page
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