Ginger is one of the most favorite spices . All over the world the ginger plant is used for culinary and medicinal purposes, in the beverage industry and in perfumery. Zingiber officinale is the botanical name for ginger, given to the plant by Linnaeus in the 18th century. Ginger grows well in a hot, moist and shady climate, on well-worked loamy soil. It has a rhizome, which makes it easy for the plant to reproduce. The rhizome is white/yellowish with sometimes a blue ring inside, which indicates the presence of a protein-splitting and protein-digesting enzyme (zingibain). There are many varieties of ginger: more than fifty different varieties grow in India alone. Each species has its own specific smell and aroma, depending on the soil and growing conditions.
Active ingredients of ginger
Fresh ginger has been used for many centuries: for example, ginger root is used to make ginger tea or a compress to relieve headaches , flu or muscle pain. In addition, fresh ginger can be processed into candied ginger, ginger powder and ginger extract. Each form of ginger has its own value and benefits. In 1879, the first active ingredients of ginger were isolated and identified: the phenylalkyl ketones with 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol. The gingerol from fresh ginger is converted into shogaol when the rhizome is dried and heated. This conversion or transformation of active components offers a surprising expansion of therapeutic possibilities.
Gingerol stimulates liver function and shogaol mainly has a pain -relieving and anti-inflammatory effect. Ginger extracts are extracted on a water/alcohol basis, combining ginger powder and fresh ginger juice. This combination of powder and juice leads to an increased concentration of active substances and a synergistic (mutually reinforcing) activity. The rhizome also contains zingibain, a protein-splitting and protein-digesting enzyme similar to papain and bromelain. Although the rhizome contains only 2% zingibain, zingibain is nature’s most powerful source of protein-splitting and protein-digesting enzymes. Zingibain is more effective than papain. Due to this enzymatic effect, ginger extract can be of great value in supporting or improving digestion. In addition, zingibain has an anti-inflammatory and resistance-enhancing effect.
Ginger against nausea, motion sickness
Initially, ginger was mainly known as a general digestive aid. It would later turn out that ginger also has a specific stomach-strengthening effect. Well-conducted studies showed that ginger extract is remarkably effective and reliable against motion sickness. By taking one 500 mg capsule of ginger extract at least 3 hours before the start of the trip (by car, boat or plane) (half an hour before the meal with fruit juice or water), nausea or vomiting is prevented. Ginger extract also appears to be useful in case of nausea as a result of chemotherapy or surgical procedures.
Anti-inflammatory, rheumatism
Follow-up research focused mainly on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of ginger. It was investigated whether ginger extract would have a pain-relieving effect on rheumatoid arthritis. Medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen are regularly used for this condition, which are NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The NSAIDs inhibit all prostaglandins, including PGI2, which protects the mucous membrane. Ginger extract reduces inflammatory eicosanoids such as PGE2, TXA2 and LTB4, but maintains the dominance of PGI2 and protects the mucosal layer. Studies show that ginger inhibits at least two eicosanoid systems (5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase) and restores eicosanoid balance. Danish studies confirm that ginger extract patients with rheumatoid arthritis experienced reductions in pain, swelling and stiffness after just 3 months (daily dose: 2 to 4 capsules of 500 mg standardized extract). Even after more than 2 years of use, the effectiveness did not decrease and there were no side effects.
Heart and vessels
Ginger can also be used for the heart and blood vessels. A researcher who did not respond to regular medicines that should inhibit platelet aggregation, accidentally noticed that the use of ginger did lead to improvement. Further examination showed a remarkable decrease in platelet aggregation when the patient took 4 capsules of standardized ginger extract daily for a week. In a comparative study with garlic, ginger extract was clearly superior. In addition, ginger strengthens the heart and stimulates blood circulation.
Increases absorption of nutrients
Ginger not only has a stomach-strengthening and digestive effect, but can also significantly increase the absorption of nutrients when used daily . Ginger extract increases the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals.
So ginger is good for everything, as a market vendor recently mockingly claimed, and he was kind of right too.
For further investigation
- Mowrey DB, Clayson DE. Motion Sickness, Ginger and Psychophysics, Lancet 1982; 655-657, 1982.
- ESCOP; “Zingiberis rhizoma”, March 1996
- Srivastava KC, M us taf a T., Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in Rheumatism and Musculoskeletal Disorders. Medical Hypotheses (1992) 39, 342-348
- Srivastava KC, Mustafa T., Effects of Aqueous extracts of union, Garlic and Ginger on Plateletaggregation and Metabolism of Arachidonic acid in the Blood vascular System ” Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Médiane 13:221-235,1984
- Atal, CK Zutshi U. Rao PG Scientific Evidence on the Rok of Ayurvedic Her bals on Bioavailability of Drugs. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1991. Sept. 4 (2) 229-232.
