Source: Ginger is the dried or fresh root of a member of the ginger family native to the Old World tropics.

Traditional Use: Cultivated for millennia in both China and India, ginger reached the West at least 2,000 years ago. Most of the thousands of prescriptions in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are combinations of many herbs, and ginger is used in nearly half to mediate the effects of other ingredients, to stimulate the appetite, and to calm the stomach. In European herbal traditions, ginger is primarily used to stop nausea and quiet an stomach upset.

Current Use: Ginger is now recognized for treating stomach upset and easing symptoms of motion sickness. It is believed to reduce nausea by increasing digestive fluids and absorbing and neutralizing toxins and stomach acid. It increases bile secretion and tones the bowel.

It has been studied for its antibacterial, antifungal, pain-relieving, antiulcer, antitumor, and other properties. Six clinical studies have looked at ginger's potential to reduce motion sickness. Four European studies reported positive results, while two American studies gave negative findings. In an English study, thirty-six volunteers were given either ginger or a common anti-motion sickness drug. When blindfolded and subjected to a spinning chair, those who took ginger held out an average of 5.5 minutes, while those who took the conventional drug became ill after 3.5 minutes. Another study involved eighty naval cadets at sea. Those who took a placebo developed seasickness. Those who were given ginger root capsules had fewer cold sweats and less nausea. However, a 1988 NASA study that tested ginger in forty-two volunteers concluded it was ineffective in relieving motion sickness. Clearly, more studies are needed.

Ginger has been shown to reduce the stickiness of blood platelets and may thereby reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. Limited studies suggest ginger may reduce morning sickness and nausea after surgery. Both uses require a physician's supervision. Other studies show that ginger may help reduce cholesterol and arterial plaque by transporting high-density lipoproteins to the liver where they can be metabolized and eliminated.

AT-A-GLANCE

Used For: Indigestion * Motion sickness * Nausea Preparations: Fresh or dried root, tea, capsules, tablets, tinctures. Typical Dosages: Capsules: Up to eight 500-600 mg capsules a day, or follow manufacturer's or practitioner's recommendations. Ground root: 1/2-1 tsp a day. Tincture: 10-20 drops in water 3 times a day. Or follow manufacturer's or practitioner's recommendations. Cautions: The German therapeutic monograph on ginger cautions against exceeding the recommend dosage. and warns patients with gallbladder disease not to take it. Pregnant women contemplating ginger use during morning sickness (short-term only) should avoid the root if gallbladder disease is present. Ginger has recognized blood-thinning qualities, but British research indicates that ginger is unlikely to cause adverse effects before or after surgery.

References

Awang, D. V. C. 1992. "Ginger." Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal July: 309-11.

Bone, M. E. et al. 1990. "Ginger Root-A New Antiemetic. The Effect of Ginger Root on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting after Major Gynecological Surgery." Anesthesia 45(8):669.

Grontved, A. et al. 1988. "Ginger Root Against Seasickness." Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 105:45-49.

Mowrey, D. B. and D. E. Clayson. 1982. "Motion Sickness, Ginger and Pyschophysics." The Lancet 20:655-667.

Sharma, I. et al. 1996. "Hypolidiaemic and Antiatherosclerotic Effects of Zingiber officinale in Cholesterol Red Rabbits." Phytotherapy Research 10(6): 517-18.

Wood, C. D. et al. 1988. "Comparison of Efficacy of Ginger with Various Antimotion Sickness Drugs." Clinical Research Practices and Drug Regulatory Affairs 6(2):129-36.

Yamahara, et. al. 1990. "Gastrointestinal Motility-Enhancing Effect of Ginger and its Active Constituents." Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 38(2):430-31.