Common name: Ginger
Latin Names: Zingiber officinale

Introduction:

Ginger is a tropical plant that has green-purple flowers with aromatic rhizome (underground stem). It is commonly used among people in cooking or even as a medicine. This practices have been that long times before by the old people. They may probably do not know what it actually done, but they are sure they give good effects.
It was cultivated in China and India, and reached the West at least 2000 years back. Most of the Chinese’s traditional medicines’ prescriptions are combination of variety of herbs and ginger is used nearly half of that for mediating the effects of the other ingredients. Besides that, it stimulates the appetite and calm the stomach. Differ with European herbal traditions which use it to stop nausea and quiet upset stomach.

BENEFITS OF GINGER
The benefits of ginger root to health are countless. It has antiseptic, stimulating, digestive, expectorant, aphrodisiac (arousing sexual desire), carminative (relieve flatulence), anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, that can be used to treat a wide range of ailments and illnesses.

Nausea and vomiting
It has been proven that ginger is generally effective as an emetic (relieves vomiting). Ginger root helps in preventing, relieving and reducing motion sickness and nausea and vomiting related to pregnancy or in other word ‘morning sickness’. Nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy and seasickness also can be reduced by ginger. However, large doses taken during pregnancy is discourage due to concerns about mutations or abortion. Additional researches are carried to determine the safety of ginger during pregnancy.

Diarrhea
The juice of ginger root is very effective in curing gastrointestinal and digestive ailment such as diarrhea, food poisoning, constipation and indigestion. This effect is attributed by zingerone, a compound in ginger that also contributes to the pungent taste. Its carminative properties help to relieve food poisoning symptoms and also cure bacterial dysentery and intestinal infections.




Pain and Inflammation
Ginger also acts as anti-inflammatory and analgesics. Effectiveness can be seen especially among the osteoarthritis of the hip or knee and rheumatoid arthritis.

The effectiveness may be related to inhibition of prostaglandin and leukotriene biosynthesis. 8-Gingerol, not 6-Gingerol was shown to inhibit COX-2 expression, which is induced during inflammation to amplify formation of prostaglandin.

Menstrual Cramps
Ginger juice when used together with some lemon juice in lukewarm water, is very beneficial in treating painful and irregular menstruation.
Stress
Soothing effect of the ginger give an advantage that helps to relief stress, depression and anxiety.

Preparations:
Fresh root, dried root, capsules, tablets, tinctures, and standardized products. The dried roots have synergistic interaction between compound in essential oil and pungent principles such as gingerol.
Cautions:
1. Ginger capsules should be taken with a full glass of water or fluid.
2. Ginger can be taken the day after surgery to prevent post surgery nausea but should be stopped at least three to four days prior to surgery, due to the fact that it can make blood platelets less sticky and therefore increases the risk of bleeding.
3. Patients with gall bladder disease should avoid it
4. Do not exceed the recommended dose.

References:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-ginger.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/health-benefits-of-ginger-root.html
http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/benefits-of-ginger.html
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginger/
Steven Foster. (1996). Herbs for Your Health: A Handy Guide for Knowing and Using 50 Common Herbs. United States. Interweave Press
Packer L., Choon Nam Ong, Halliwell Barry. (2004)Herbal and Traditional Medicine (Molecular Aspects of Health). United States. Marcel Dekker

by Siti Latifah Azirah Bt Mohd Noor