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)

 

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

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 chronic indigestion, abdominal bloating, ulcerative

Colitis, IBS, 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 headache

Morning sickness

Motion sickness

Nausea and vomiting following surgery

Rheumatoid arthritis

Laryngitis

Constipation

Incontinence

Flatulence

Colic

Ulcerative colitis

Intestinal Spasms

Fever

Eye diseases

Asthma

IBS

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 chronic indigestion, flatulence, colic, vomiting, intestinal

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.

 

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 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 tooth or face aches:

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

to the face.

 

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.

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

presence of gallstone

conditions except under the supervision of a doctor.

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 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

_______________

www.alternative-medicine-message-boards.info

 

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 7:05 pm Post subject:

-----

Ginger- Uses and Benefits

 

" The Green Pharmacy " is written by James A Duke Ph.D.,

formerly with the USDA as a botanist specializing in medicinal plants

and the " World's foremost authority on healing herbs. "

He says and I quote:

 

After my USDA colleague persuaded me to explore ginger's anti-angina

benefits, I read that it was endorsed for heart attack prevention

in " Ginger: Common Spice and Wonder drug " ,

by New England herbalist Paul Schulick.

 

He notes that an Israeli cardiology clinic now

recommends a daily half-teaspoon of powdered ginger.

It seems that ginger is an antioxidant that offers the blood vessels

some protection against the damage caused by cholesterol.

 

Ginger also boosts the strength of heart muscle tissue, similar to the

medication digitalis. If I had angina, I would take ginger regularly

and use it in cooking!

 

Ginger contains zingibain, a special kind of proteolytic enzyme that

has the ability to chemically break down protein. Adolph's meat

tenderizer works because it contains this kind of enzyme.

 

Proteolytic enzymes, of which there are several besides zingibain,

also play an additional role in controlling autoimmune diseases.

They help reduce blood levels of compounds known as immune complexes,

high levels of which activate the immune system to attack the body

itself, ultimately leading to tissue damage.

 

Paul Schulick suggests that zingibain, which comprises as much as 2

percent of fresh ginger root, is as powerful an enzyme as the

bromelain in pineapple or the papain in papaya.

 

He insists that ginger is one of nature's richest sources of

proteolytic enzymes, containing approximately 180 times more than the papaya

plant!

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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