Ginger - (Zingiber officinale)

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Name: Ginger -

Biological Name: Zingiber officinale

Other Names:

Ginger; Ardrakam; Shunthi; Adrak; Sunth; black ginger; race ginger;

African ginger; sheng jiang;

 

Parts Used: Rhizome (root)

 

Description:

Ginger is an herb indigenous to southeastern Asia. It is cultivated

in the U.S., India, China, West Indies and tropical regions.

Active Compounds:

The dried rhizome of ginger contains approximately 1-4% volatile

oils. These are the medically active constituents of ginger; they

are also responsible for ginger's characteristic odor and taste.

 

The aromatic principles include zingiberene and bisabolene, while

the pungent principles are known as gingerols and shogaols.

Volatile Oil:

Components can vary greatly, depending on the country of origin. The

main components of the volatile oil are:

 

( -)-zingiberene and arcurcumene

 

beta-bisabolene and arcurcumene

 

neral and geranial

 

D-camphor

 

beta-phellandrene

 

geranial

 

neral and linalool

 

(E)-alpha-farnesene, important as aroma carrier zingiberol (mixture

of

cis- and trans-beta-eudesmol)

 

Arylalkane - Pungent Substances

 

Gingerols:

 

chief components [6]-gingerol, [8]-gingerol, [10]- gingerol

 

Shogaols:

 

chief components [6]-shogaol, [8]- shogaol, [10]- shogaol

 

Gingerdiols

 

Diarylheptanoids: including, among others, gingerenone A and B

 

History:

Traditional Chinese medicine has recommended ginger for over 2,500

years. It is used for abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting,

diarrhea, and rheumatism. Ginger is commonly used in the Ayurvedic

and Tibb systems of medicine for the treatment of inflammatory joint

diseases, such as arthritis.

 

Remedies For:

For over 2,500 years, ginger has been an important herb in Asian

medicine. Traditionally it has been used to promote cleansing of the

body through perspiration, to calm nausea

 

Action: Aromatic, carminative, stimulant to the gastro- intestinal

tract, diaphoretic, expectorant, antiemetic, and stomachic, also

sialagogue and digestive; Externally, a local stimulant and

rubefacient.

 

Ginger is used for:

Atherosclerosis, heart disease

Migraine headaches

Morning sickness

Motion sickness

Nausea and vomiting following surgery

Rheumatoid arthritis

Belching

Laryngitis

Vomiting

Constipation

Incontinence

Flatulence

Colic

Spasms

Fever

Eye diseases

Asthma

Colds

Cough

 

Digestive System Actions:

 

Ginger is a classic tonic for the digestive tract. Classified as an

aromatic bitter, it stimulates digestion.

 

It also keeps the intestinal muscles toned. This action eases the

transport of substances through the digestive tract, lessening

irritation to the

intestinal walls.

 

Ginger may protect the stomach from the damaging effect of alcohol

and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) and

may help prevent ulcers.

 

Allergies and asthma:

 

Dried ginger root can help in the management of allergies and asthma

by

offsetting the effect of the platelet-activating factor (PAP).

PAP

initiates inflammatory processes in allergy and asthma. It was found

to become more active after changes in blood chemistry that occur in

a high-fat diet.

 

Atherosclerosis and high cholesterol:

 

Arthritis, bursitis, fibrocystic breasts, lymphedema, and pain.

 

Ginger inhibits the production of immune-system components called

cytokines.

These chemicals are believed to create a long-term tendency toward

inflammation.

 

Ginger also stimulates blood circulation. These effects of ginger

are taken advantage of in treating a number of disorders marked by

swelling and pain, such as arthritis.

 

Studies

have also shown that ginger can relieve pain without the side

effects typically found when using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory

drugs

(NSAIDs) and steroids.

 

Anti-nausea/Anti-vomiting Actions:

Research is inconclusive as to how ginger acts to alleviate nausea.

 

Ginger may act directly on the gastrointestinal system or it may

affect the part of the central nervous system that causes nausea. It

may be that ginger exerts a dual effect in reducing nausea and

vomiting.

 

Colds, influenza, and strep throat:

Shagaol

 

Parasitic infection-

Ginger contains a chemical called zingibain that dissolves parasites

and their eggs.

 

In laboratory trials, ginger extracts have been shown to

kill the anisakid worm (a parasite occasionally found in raw fish)

within sixteen hours.

 

Ginger tea is useful as a supplement in treating schistosomiasis, a

parasitic disease.

 

Seizure disorders-

..

Ginger protects the body from the hepatotoxic effects of valproic

acid (Depakene), a common treatment for seizure disorders.

 

Ginger, when used on a daily basis, was found to improve the

elevated levels of the liver enzymes alanine amino- transferase

(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).

 

Action and Uses in Ayurveda and Siddha-

 

Ginger is an important herb used in Ayurveda.

Ayurveda takes advantage of the following medicinal properties for

ginger:

 

Analgesic, anti-emetic, aromatic, aphrodisiac, carminative,

diaphorelic,

digestive, expectorant, nervine, sialagogue, stimulant.

 

Ayurvedic practitioners consider ginger to be a truly a wonder drug,

having so many healing properties.

 

It was called the universal medicine.

Taken with rock salt it reduces vayu; with rock candy it reduces

Pitta; with honey it reduces Kapha. Thus it can be used to influence

all

tridoshas.

 

Ginger is used in the following ayurvedic remedies:

 

katu rasam, ushna veeryam, vata-kapha-haram, katu- vipaka, lagu,

snigdam, pachanam, ruchyam, vrishyam, swaryam, vibhanda haram, in

grahani

agnimanthyam. amavatham, chardhi, swasam, soolam, arsas, anaham,

hrith-rogam, udhara rogam. It is used externally in kapha,

swellings, headache.

 

Action and Uses in Unani

 

The following actions of ginger is taken advantage of in Unani

Medicine:

Carminative, digestive, removes obstruction in the blood vessels,

removes viscid matter, and strengthens memory. In addition,

ginger is used in nervous diseases, and for incontinence of urine.

 

How To Use Ginger:

For treating indigestion, flatulence, colic, vomiting, spasms,

stomach and bowel pains with fever, colds, cough, and asthma:

 

Ginger-jam.

How To make the Jam

 

Mix the juice from fresh ginger with water and organic cane sugar.

Boil it to a syrup like consistency.

Add saffron, powders of cardamom, nutmeg, and clove.

Store properly and use when needed.

 

For indigestion with want of appetite:

Mix together equal parts of ginger juice, lemon juice and rock salt.

Mix well and take it before meals.

 

Alternately, combine equal parts of ginger and rock-salt. Mix well.

Take it just before meals.

 

This cleanses the tongue and throat, increases the appetite and

produces a pleasant sensation.

 

For sciatica and other forms of rheumatism:

A compound oil named Saindha vadya Taila is traditionally used in

Ayurveda for this condition

 

 

For sore throats, hoarseness, and laryngitis:

Chew a piece of fresh ginger. This produces a copious flow of

saliva.

 

For diarrhea:

Rub ginger juice on navel.

 

For dyspepsia, loss of appetite and piles

Use Samasarkara Churna. Another remedy, Saubhagya Sunti is used as a

carminative tonic in dyspepsia and; in disorders of the alimentary

canal in females after confinement.

 

For nausea, and vomiting

Take a combination of ginger juice and onion juice.

 

F.

 

For painful bowels or stomach:

Make an infusion of dry ginger. Mix it with 1-2 tbs. castor oil.

You can also take a mix of asafoetida and ginger powder.

 

For chronic rheumatism

Make an infusion of dry ginger (Sonth) (combining 1part dry ginger

with

24 parts water ). Take this warm just before going to bed. Cover the

body with blankets to induce perspiration.

 

For Dropsy and Cirrhosis of the Liver:

Ayurvedic doctors from India believes that drinking the juice

extracted

from fresh ginger in gradually increasing doses acts as a strong

diuretic that is useful in cases of general dropsy. Traditional

literature suggests that:

 

" This method was tried 'in three cases of ascites with dropsy

arising

from cirrhosis of liver of recent origin and there was, when the

juice was so administered, complete subsidence of ascites and

disappearance of the dropsy.'

 

The fresh juice of the drug acted as a strong diuretic.

The patients passed gradually increasing quantities of urine daily. "

 

 

For Dropsy

 

See Ginger Remedy for Dropsy

For rheumatism

 

See Sunta Ghrita. It is an Ayurvedic herbal remedy for rheumatism

that incorporates ginger.

 

For headache

Make a ginger paste by mixing dry ginger powder with a little water

or aloe gel . Apply and rub this paste to the forehead before going

to

sleep

 

For neuralgic head ache

See Ginger Headache Remedy

 

For tooth or face aches:

Make a paste of ginger powder and aloe gel or water. Apply the paste

to the face.

 

For fainting

See Ginger Remedy for Fainting

 

For Cholera

In the collapse stage of cholera, powdered ginger is rubbed to the

extremities, to check the cold perspiration, improve the local

circulation, and to relieve the agonizing cramps.

 

For vaginismus

Mix powdered dry ginger well with castor oil or with the paste of

castor-root. Apply this to the painful parts.

 

Miscellaneous Home Remedies Utilizing ginger

Ginger Rhubarb Digestive Remedy

This is an Ayurvedic child's digestive.

 

Ginger Rhubarb Tonic

This is an Ayurvedic tonic useful for digestion.

 

Ginger Ajowan Indigestion Remedy

An Ayurvedic home remedy for indigestion.

 

Ginger Stomach-ache Remedy

Ayurvedic home remedy for stomach-ache.

 

Dosage:

Most people take 2-4 grams of the dried rhizome powder two to three

times per day or a tincture of 1.5-3 ml three times daily.

 

For treatment of nausea, people try single doses of approximately

250 mg

every two to three hours, for a total of 1 gram per day.

 

For prevention of motion sickness, many people start taking ginger

tablets, capsules, or liquid herbal extract two days before the

planned trip.

 

Perhaps the most versatile of all herbs, fresh ginger can be

topically applied as a warm fomentation to relieve spasms pain and

cramps.

 

Simply cut several slices of the fresh root and place them in a pan

of

boiling water. Saturate a flannel cloth with the tea and apply it

topically

as warm as the body will bear. This is an ideal treatment for stiff

neck and shoulders.

 

The herb is cooked with meat to aid its assimilation

and detoxify it.

 

Fresh ginger tea is the most ideal herb to use for the

first signs of mucus, cold, cough, and so on. To make it taste

better, add honey. Drinking ginger tea with meals will greatly aid

digestion and assimilation and is useful for those with weak, cold

digestion.

 

Safety:

Ginger is one of the most widely available and widely used herbal

remedy on the planet. Billions of people use ginger safely daily as

food

and medicine. A few precautions should be followed, though.

 

Ginger should not be used by those with heat signs in the lungs or

stomach.

 

Side effects of ginger are rare when used as recommended. However,

some people may be sensitive to the taste or may experience

heartburn.

Persons with a history of gallstones should consult a nutritionally

oriented doctor before using ginger.

 

Ginger can prolong the sleeping time induced by barbiturates. Use

ginger with extreme caution if you are taking any kind of medication

to

induce sleep.

 

Ginger is contraindicated in morning sickness.

 

Because of its cholagogic effect, ginger should not be taken in the

presence of gallstone

conditions except under the supervision of a doctor.

 

The daily

consumption of ginger root may interfere with the absorption of fat-

soluble vitamins.

 

Avoid taking ginger for two weeks

prior to undergoing elective surgery.

 

Short-term use of ginger for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy

appears to pose no safety problems; however, long-term use during

pregnancy is not recommended.

 

Ginger can increase the potency of prescription medications used to

prevent blood clots, such as aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix),

ticlopidine

(Ticlid), or warfarin (Coumadin).

 

Combining ginger with these

medications could result in unexpected bleeding. Discuss with your

physician before taking ginger to control nausea after surgery. If

bleeding is a major risk, ginger should be avoided.

 

http://holisticonline.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h61.htm

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