Ginger Root Extract

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Ginger Root Extract

JoAnn Guest

Oct 25, 2004 20:31 PDT

 

 

Ginger Root Liquid Extract (by American Health & Herbs)

http://www.health-marketplace.com/Ginger-Root.htm

 

Ginger Root Extract reduces cholesterol, prevents blood clots, is an

anti-inflammatory, and has chemical components that are calcium

antagonists, vasodilators, and ACE inhibitors.

 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is reliable in treating a wide variety

of cardiovascular complaints.

Among ginger's protective properties is its ability to reduce

cholesterol by promoting cholesterol

excretion, impairing cholesterol absorption, and encouraging bile

secretion and bile acid production.

(Bile acid is a steroid acid of bile, produced during the metabolism

of cholesterol.)

 

Ginger exerts some of its hypolipidemic effects by stimulating

cholesterol-7-alpha-hydroxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme of bile acid

synthesis (Srinivasan et al. 1991).

 

Researchers reported the effects of administering ginger root (200

mg/kg orally) to 61 cholesterol-fed rabbits (Bhandari et al. 1998).

 

The marked rise in cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins, and

phospholipids (which normally follows 10 weeks of cholesterol

feeding) was significantly reduced by ginger.

 

The favorable results obtained from ginger were comparable to the

hypolipidemic effects of the drug Lopid, known generically as

gemfibrozil.

 

Various chemicals contained in ginger root are calcium antagonists,

vasodilators, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics, suggesting additional

value in reducing blood pressure and the incidence of arrhythmias

(Duke Database 1992).

 

Ginger root reduces the likelihood of a blood clot through the

following mechanisms:

 

Ginger root, ginkgo, olive leaf, and garlic each contain chemicals

that inhibit platelet-activating factor, PAF (Duke Database 1992).

 

Adequate amounts of PAF are essential to coagulation and

inflammatory processes; excesses are associated with blood clot

formation, stroke, and heart disease.

 

Thromboxane A-2, a platelet-aggregating factor, is inhibited more by

ginger root than by either garlic or onions (Srivastava 1984).

 

Prostacylin, an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, is pressed into

service by ginger, a process that further reduces the likelihood of

blood clot formation (Backon 1986).

 

Although all of these effects are similar (blood clot reduction), a

study involving healthy volunteers showed no irregularities in blood

coagulation among participants receiving 2 grams of ginger a day

(McCaleb et al. 2000)Nonetheless, caution is indicated for those

individuals with

baseline disturbances in platelet numbers or prothrombin time.

Furthermore, the activity of prescribed blood thinners may be

heightened if used in concert with ginger.

 

Ginger root also appears to protect the heart during periods of

inflammation. (Recall that inflammation is considered a trigger in

heart disease.)

 

Ginger's anti-inflammatory properties are due to interruption of the

prostaglandin-leukotriene cascade, blocking damaging prostaglandins

but leaving beneficial prostaglandins unaffected.

 

Ginger root (gingerols) has been shown to inhibit cyclooxygenase

pathways, sharing anti-inflammatory traits with other popular COX-2

inhibitors (Newmark et al. 2000; Faloon 2001).

 

Interestingly, a researcher recently recommended 10 grams of Ginger

(approximately 1 tsp a day) to reduce platelet aggregation (Bordia

et al. 1997). A qualified healthcare practitioner must monitor this

dosage.

 

JAMA published an article raising a cautionary flag concerning the

risk of cardiovascular events among users of COX-2 inhibitors (such

as Celebrex and Vioxx) (Mukherjee et al. 2001).

The FDA has also objected to claims and promotional activities by

Pharmacia Corporation minimizing the potentially serious risk of

bleeding associated with Celebrex (Fort 2001).

 

It is hoped further prospective evaluations will characterize and

determine the magnitude of the risks. In the interim, natural COX-2

inhibitors (including ginger) loom as welcome alternatives.

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

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DietaryTi-

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