Ginger
by Gudrun Maybaum
Summer 2002
Common name: Ginger
Biological name: Zingiber officinalis
Family: zingiberacae
In ancient times, ginger was known by the name of shringara and was prized for its flavor and medical properties in India. An essay written in the 3rd century BC refers to an even more ancient 12th century BC document that describes ginger plantings in China, where it was used for colds, cough and flu. It was part of Confucius' diet and also used in the tombs of the royal families as afterlife nourishment. In the 3rd century BC, ginger traveled east to Japan where it was prescribed for poor digestion and used topically to relieve aches and pains.
The first written references to ginger in the western world dates back to the ancient Greeks, who called it zingiberis. Until the 16th century, when Francisco de Mendosa brought it to Spain, Europeans had to trade for it from the Arabs. From Spain it spread to the West Indies, where it was vigorously cultivated. By 1884, ginger was so popular in Europe that Great Britain imported more than five million pounds.
Medicinal Value
Ginger, like cayenne, is a carrier herb. Carrier herbs bind other herbs given with them and help carry the other herbs deeper into the body's systems and increase their efficacy.
Vitamins A, C, B compound and some minerals are contained in ginger, though its major ingredients are turpines and gingerols, which are oleo resin compounds.
Ginger is a gentle but very efficient herb that has been the subject of many clinical trials and scientific studies of its medical properties.
Perhaps one of the best-known and most studied uses of ginger is as a treatment for various types of nausea. One study found that ginger suppressed gastric contraction but increased gastrointestinal motility and spontaneous peristaltic activity in laboratory animals. Since these effects were only observed when ginger was administered orally and not when given intravenously, it appears that direct contact with the intestinal mucosa is necessary for ginger to be effective. The same study suggests ginger as suitable for relieving the gastrointestinal effects of cancer chemotherapy.
Another test done with rats shows that those consuming ginger failed to show an increase in weight during the study.
In Indian Ayurvedic medicine, ginger is used as an anti-inflammatory compound and it has been suggested that ginger may be useful as a treatment for arthritis. Several researchers investigating the anti-inflammatory action of ginger found that more than 75% of patients receiving 3-7 g of powdered ginger daily for 56 days had a significant reduction in pain and swelling associated with either rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.
The active constituent gingerol causes vagal stimulation and, therefore, a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. Its circulatory stimulation properties help offset sluggish circulation. In studies conducted by Cornell University Medical College, ginger was found to help prevent hardening of the arteries and strokes. Gingerol inhibits an enzyme that is believed to cause cells to clot and so prevents recurrences of so-called "little" strokes.
Health practitioners also suggest that ginger is useful as a stimulant for the kidneys, to increase sweating, remove toxic waste from the body, cleanse the lymph system, clear chest and lung congestions and alleviate migraine headaches.
References:
The Little Herb Encyclopedia by Jack Ritchason, N.D.
The Herbal Handbook by David Hoffman
Herbal Medicine by Sharol Tilner, N.D.
10 Essential Herbs by Lalitha Thomas
Today's Herbal Health by Louise Tenney, M.H.
Prescription For Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, M.D. & Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/ginger13.html
http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/health/biomed/MHR/ginger_.htm
http://www.soupsong.com/fginger.html