Ginger Action and Uses.Ginger Extract.Gingerols.

  seminal trace...Ginger Extract.Gingerols.CAS.NO:1391-73-7.Molecular Formula:C17 H32O4.5-Hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxycyclohexyl)decan-3-one,58253-27-3,6.Gingerol....

 


  Basic Botanical data of Ginger.:

 Botanical: Zingiber officinale (ROSC.); Zingiber officinale (Willd.)Rosc.
 Family:Zingiberaceae
 Latin: Rhizoma Zingiberis;Ginger was given its official botanical name, Zingiber officinale, by the famous eighteenth-century Swedish botanist, Linnaeus. Linnaeus derived the genus title Zingiber from its Indian Sanskrit name singabera which means shaped like a horn.
 Part Used:Dried Root. Dried Ginger,Rhizoma Zingiberis,Rhizome, root, essential oil.
 Habitat:Said to be a native of Asia. Cultivated in West Indies, Jamaica, Africa. Native to Asia, ginger is grown throughout the tropics. Ginger is propagated by dividing the rootstock. Ginger flourishes in fertile soil and needs plenty of rain. The rhizome is unearthed when the plant is 10 months old. It is washed, soaked, and sometimes boiled and peeled.
 Synonyms: African ginger,race ginger;Black ginger, Canton ginger, Cochin ginger, Common ginger, Garden ginger, Gingembre, Imber, Jamaican ginger, Zingiber officinale,Jiang.

 The rhizome of Ginger has been widely distributed in the tropic and semi-tropic regions of the world. Chinese ships carried pots of Ginger on board long sea voyages to prevent scurvy and sea sickness. A Chinese folk remedy recommends rubbing the cut root of the plant on the scalp to stop hair loss. In India, before religious festivals, devotees would avoid Garlic, so as not to offend the deities. Instead, they consumed Ginger, which left them fragrant and pleasing. A product of India, Ginger is considered the universal Medicineby India's Ayurvedic herbalists. Ginger Root has also been used for centuries in Chinese herbal medicine for the positive effects it has on the body, as well as to enhance herbal combinations. Ginger's sweet taste has made it a popular herb, and it is found today in ginger ale, breads, candies, and tonics. Ginger is most commonly known for its effectiveness as a digestive aid. By increasing the production of digestive fluids and saliva, Ginger helps relieve indigestion, gas pains, diarrhea and stomach cramping.Ginger has been revered as a medical panacea for 5,000 years. It fights inflammation, cleanses the colon, reduces spasms and cramps, and stimulates circulation. A strong antioxidant and effective antimicrobial agent for sores and wounds. Protects the liver and stomach, useful for bowel disorders, circulatory problems, arthritis, fever, headache, hot flashes, indigestion, morning sickness, motion sickness, muscle pains, nauseau and vomiting.


   

 Basic Botanical data of Ginger.
 Description and Phytochemical Constituents of Ginger(Zingiber officinale).:
 Origin and Narrative History of of Ginger(Zingiber officinale).
 Medicinal Action and Uses of Ginger(Zingiber officinale).
 Functions and applications of Ginger.
 More reference materials and state of Ginger application.
 Additional Research of Ginger.
 Dosage and Administration of Ginger.
 Research Update:Ginger and Its Constituents.
 How Search Engine think about Ginger.
 Culture and Practice of Ginger Tea.
 The essence of ginger.


   Description and Phytochemical Constituents of Ginger(Zingiber officinale).:

 Zingiber is a creeping perennial plant native to tropical south-east Asia and cultivated in the West Indies, Africa and India. The aromatic, knotty rootstock is thick and fibrous, and whitish or buff in colour. It produces a simple, leafy stem covered with the leaf sheaths of the lanceolate-oblong to linear leaves, and reaches a height of 1.25m. The leaves areup to30cm long and the sterile flowers are white with purple streaks and grow in small dense spikes.
 Ginger is a rain forest monocot about a metre high, with long, narrow leaves and spicate flowers. It has been grown in China since Antiquity. Seeds have never been found, ginger propagates through buddings from its knotty rhizome.
 
 The fresh ginger rhizome is a versatile ingredient of the far eastern cuisine, and is now commonly used in most of the world. Its flavour is lemony-balsamic and its taste is medium hot.

  Phytochemical Constituents of Ginger(Zingiber officinale):

   The primary known constituents of Ginger Root include gingerols, zingibain, bisabolene, oleoresins, starch, essential oil (zingiberene, zingiberole, camphene, Cineole, borneol), mucilage, and protein.
   Volatile oils (bisabolene,Cineole,phellandrene, citral,borneol, citronellol, geranial, linalool, limonene, zingiberol, zingiberene, camphene), Oleoresin (gingerol, shogaol), Phenol (gingeol, zingerone), Proteolytic enzyme (zingibain), Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Linoleic acid,gum, starch, lignin, vegeto matter, asmazone, acetic acid, acetate of potassa, sulphur.
 The pungency of ginger is due to Gingerol which is the alcohol group of the oleoresin (when resins are associated with volatile oils, they are called OLEORESINS). Ginger owes its aroma to about 1 to 3% of volatile oils, which are bisabolene, zingiberene and zingiberol.
 Primary Nutrients: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Protein, Sodium, Vitamins A, Vitamin B-complex and Vitamin C.
 Ginger contains several chemical components as outlined by Michael Murray, N.D. in The Healing Power of Herbs:
 starch (50%)
 protein (9%)
 lipids (including glycerides, phosphatidic acid, lecithins, and fatty acids; 6-8%)
 protease (2.26%)
 volatile oils (including gingerol, shogaol, zingiberene, and zingiberol; 1-3%)
 pungent principles
 
 Vitamins A and Vitamin B3 (niacin).
 The pungent principles (including the volatile oil gingerols) are the most medicinally potent because they inhibit prostaglandin and leukotriene formations (products in the body that influence blood flow and inflammation). They also give ginger its pungent aroma.
 The lemony character of fresh ginger is due to citral. Major components of the essential oil are the sesquiterpenes beta-sesquiphellandrene and zingiberene. The 'sharp' constituents, causing the burning sensation on the mucous membranes, are substituted phenols (gingerols/shogaols)
 citral, beta-sesquiphellandrene, zingiberene, and gingerols/shogaols


   Origin and Narrative History of of Ginger(Zingiber officinale):

  Narrative history of "Ginger":

 The word ginger comes from the ancient Sanskrit singabera, meaning 'shaped like a horn'. It first appeared in the writings of Confucius in the 5th century BC. and it has been used medicinally in the West for at least 2000 years. It was introduced by the Spaniards to the Americas and is now cultivated extensively in the West Indies. The Portuguese introduced it to West Africa. It was traditionally used to warm the stomach and dispel chills. In the 18th century it was added to remedies to modify their action and to reduce their irritant effects upon the stomach. Ginger is still used in this way in China to reduce the toxicity of some herbs. The Chinese prescribe ginger tea for delayed menstruation. It is rich in vitamin C, and Chinese mariners ate it fresh to ward off scurvy.
 

  Ginger Origin and Its Spread:

 As the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Rosc., a perennial herb, of family Zingiberaceae, probably native to southeastern Asia, it is produced everywhere and picked and dug in Autumn and Winter. Its generic name Zingiber is derived from the Greek zingiberis, which comes from the Sanskrit name of the spice, singabera.
 Its use in India and China has been known from ancient times, and by the 1st century AD traders had taken ginger into the Mediterranean region. By the 11th century it was well known in England. The Spaniards brought it to the West Indies and Mexico soon after the conquest, and by 1547 ginger was being exported from Santiago to Spain.
 The leafy stems of ginger grow about a metre high. The leaves are 15 to 30 cm long, elongate, alternate in two vertical rows, and arise from sheaths enwrapping the stem. The flowers are in dense, conelike spikes about 2 cm thick and 4 to 6 cm long composed of overlapping green bracts, which may be edged with yellow. Each bract encloses a single, small, yellow-green and purple flower.
 Ginger is propagated by planting rootstalk cuttings and has been under this type of cultivation for so long that it no longer goes to seed. Harvesting is done simply by lifting the rhizomes from the soil, cleansing them, and drying them in the sun. The dried ginger rhizomes are irregular in shape, branched or palmate. Their colour varies from dark yellow through light brown to pale buff. Ginger may be unscraped; partly scraped; or scraped or peeled.

 The dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale Rosc., a perennial plant, of the family Zingiberaceae. Probably native to southeastern Asia, its aromatic, pungent rhizome (underground stem) is used as a spice, flavouring, food, and medicine. Its generic name Zingiber is derived from the Greek zingiberis, which comes from the Sanskrit name of the spice, singabera.
 Its use in India and China has been known from ancient times, and by the 1st century AD traders had taken ginger into the Mediterranean region. By the 11th century it was well known in England. The Spaniards brought it to the West Indies and Mexico soon after the conquest, and by 1547 ginger was being exported from Santiago to Spain.
 The spice has a slightly biting taste and is used, usually dried and ground, to flavour breads, sauces, curry dishes, confections, pickles, and ginger ale. The fresh rhizome, green ginger, is used in cooking. The peeled rhizomes may be preserved by boiling in syrup. In elsewhere, slices of ginger are eaten between dishes or courses to clear the palate. Ginger is used medically to treat flatulence and colic.
 The leafy stems of ginger grow about a metre high. The leaves are 15 to 30 centimetres long, elongate, alternate in two vertical rows, and arise from sheaths enwrapping the stem. The flowers are in dense, conelike spikes about 2 cm thick and 4 to 6 cm long, composed of overlapping green bracts, which may be edged with yellow. Each bract encloses a single, small, yellow-green and purple flower.
 Ginger is propagated by planting rootstalk cuttings and has been under this type of cultivation for so long that it no longer goes to seed. The dried ginger rhizomes are irregular in shape, branched or palmate. Their colour varies from dark yellow through light brown to pale buff. Ginger may be unscraped (with all of its cork layer); partly scraped; or scraped or peeled (with all of its cork, epidermis, and hypodermis removed).
 

 In China, ginger is cultivated and mainly produced in the provinces Sichuan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, Guizhou, Fujian, etc. Harvested in winter by lifting the rhizomes from the soil, then is cleaned, sliced and dried in the sun or baked at low heat until dry for use when raw.

 China is said to be the native home of ginger, and as such, the Chinese are well versed in its ability to sort out problem stomachs. In China, unlike the West, traditional medicine, which is herbalism, never fell out of favor. There, herbal medicine is a fine and sophisticated science. We in the West just use the whole ginger root. The Chinese, on the other hand, use ginger's papery brown skin to treat people with gas. They bruise and then juice the leaves, using the resulting liquid to increase the appetite of people with no taste for food, and they use the peeled root to treat nausea, dysentery, and to act as an overall digestive stimulant. After all, the Chinese have been working with ginger as medicine for some 4000 years; it is only reasonable that they should know it a bit better than we should.
 Ginger was first grown in the Caribbean and Latin America in the late 1500s, and the creeping plant has since become a mainstay in the practice of local herbalists. In Mexico, the fresh root is grated, mixed with water, and taken after meals to ensure good digestion. In Trinidad, the root is made into tea to treat indigestion and morning sickness. In Brazil, it is used to treat cramps, nausea, and gas. The story is basically the same around the world: whenever intestinal flu sets in, the symptoms are best treated with ginger.


  Ginger of Greeks and Romans:

 Ginger is a tropical plant. It originated in Asia, but could be found throughout Africa and Arabia long before people gave up on the idea that the world was flat. The Greeks and Romans used a lot of ginger, which is said to have come from India via Arabia by way of the Red Sea. The plant appears in European records dating to the 11th century, as it was among the heavily taxed spices on which the nobility made a few bucks. Marco Polo mentioned seeing it on his trip to Asia in 1280. It arrived in England early - herbalists from the 11th century onward wrote of it.
 Ginger was popular among European herbalists right off the bat. This was particularly true in England, perhaps because ginger's healing effects on the body were especially welcome in the lovely cold weather typical of the British Isles. Gerard had this to say about it:

 Ginger, as Dioscorides reporteth, is right good with meat in sauces, or otherwise in conditures: for it is of an heating and digesting quality; it gently looseth the belly, and is profitable for the stomach, and effectually opposeth itself against all darkness of the light; answering the qualities and effects of pepper. It is to be considered that candied green or condited ginger is hot and moist in qualities, provioking Venerie; and being dried, it heateth and drieth in the third degree.
 "Provioking Venerie" means making people randy. Although it was Gerard's feeling that ginger heated more than the stomach, most of the records show ginger being used to treat that organ rather than more southerly parts.
 The British transplanted ginger from Asia to their New World colonies, where it could be cultivated for the domestic market at a cheaper price. Today the best ginger comes from Jamaica; it was first grown there on British plantations.

 Like many of the more famous medicinal plants, ginger was initially hauled from Asia to Europe and on to the New World because of its culinary use. Candied, the fragrant root found its way into cookies, cakes, and confections. In days gone by, fine cuisine enjoyed by the nobility, was an extravagant and highly organized affair. The upper classes were known to overindulge, and ginger was used to settle their abused stomachs. Here we see the fine line between food and medicine. Herbalists of, say, the 16th century prescribed ginger tea for upset stomachs, and so that¡¯s what thoughtful hostesses served to their guests. Ginger cookies were originally a digestive biscuit intended to bring relief to those who had eaten too much.

 To this day, in several parts of the world, you will find ginger made into condiments and served with the meal. This is a piece of native wisdom that makes a lot of sense. Three examples of this are the chutneys served with just about everything in India, the candied ginger served with after-dinner cheese in Latin America. That is preventative medicine at its best.
 It is in the area of intestinal upset that ginger comes to the fore, whether that upset is due to pregnancy, the intestinal flu, or the motion of a car, boat, or airplane. Ginger has the ability to quell the queasiness that usually proceeds vomiting. As none of us enjoys throwing up and just about all of us feel like it at one time or another, ginger should be a must both on the spice rack and in the medicine cabinet in every home.
 

  Traditional Use:

 Cultivated for millennia in both China and India, ginger reached the West at least 2,000 years ago. Most of the thousands of prescriptions in Chinese traditional medicine (TCM) are combinations of many herbs; ginger is used in nearly half of them to mediate the effects of other ingredients as well as to stimulate the appetite and calm the stomach. In European herbal traditions, ginger is primarily used to stop nausea and quiet an upset stomach.


  Current Status:

 Ginger is now recognized for helping to treat stomach upset and prevent symptoms of motion sickness. It has been studied for its antibacterial, antifungal, pain-relieving, anti-ulcer, antitumor, and other properties. Six clinical studies have looked at ginger's potential to reduce motion sickness. Four European studies reported positive results, while two American studies gave negative findings. In one English study, thirty-six volunteers were given either ginger or a common anti-motion sickness drug. When blindfolded and subjected to time in a spinning chair, those who took ginger held out an average of 5.5 minutes, while those who took the conventional drug lasted about 3.5 minutes before becoming ill. Another study involved eighty naval cadets at sea. Those who took a placebo developed seasickness. Those who were given gingerroot capsules had fewer cold sweats and less nausea. A 1988 NASA study that tested ginger in forty-two volunteers, however, concluded it was ineffective in relieving motion sickness. Clearly, more studies are needed.Ginger Root is also used to treat nausea related to both motion sickness and morning sickness. Ginger has been found to be even more effective than Dramamine?in curbing motion sickness, without causing drowsiness. Ginger's anti-inflammatory properties help relieve pain and reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, rheumatism and muscle spasms. Ginger's therapeutic properties effectively stimulate circulation of the blood, removing toxins from the body, cleansing the bowels and kidneys, and nourishing the skin. Other uses for Ginger Root include the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems by loosening and expelling phlegm from the lungs. Ginger Root may also be used to help break fevers by warming the body and increasing perspiration.
 If you suffer from travel-related nausea, bring some ginger candy along on your next trip. Ginger has been proven to be more effective in treating travel sickness than Dramamine!

 In a rather politically incorrect experiment, some nasty scientists fed dogs copper sulfate and found that ginger extracts stopped the profuse vomiting that would have normally attended the dogs' being poisoned. This may not have been good news to the dogs who needed to throw up the poison in order not to die, but it is for people who are suffering from less serious intestinal distress.

 Ginger also has been found to increase gastric juice secretion and the production of hypochloride. This means that food is digested more quickly, creating an unfriendly environment for bacteria that otherwise could send you to the toilet for a week or more. Along these lines, chemicals in ginger have been proven to knock out the sort of bacteria that cause 'Delhi belly' and 'Montezuma's revenge'. One of the classic treatments for bacterial dysentery in the tropics is ginger, and people there are well advised to use this cheap and effective cure.

 The key to ginger's use in cases of intestinal flu due to bacteria, and indeed in cases of food poisoning, may lie in its high content of volatile oil. The root may contain as much as three percent volatile oil, which is a lot for a plant. When you make ginger tea, you will even see oil floating on the top of the water in which you boiled the root. Volatile oils have a powerful bacteria-killing capacity, and it seems probable that as the volatile oil floats down the digestive tract, it kills bacteria along the way.

 When you are sick because some varmint has moved into your guts, ginger is the perfect cure. First, it will kill the invader, and second, it will soothe the nerves that are causing the indescribably horrible sensation know as nausea. One of the phenomena that people who work in the health business are seeing lately is flus, both intestinal and respiratory, that last a really long time with periodic flare-ups. If you are using ginger to treat an intestinal flu, keep right on using it even after you have lost all flu symptoms, say a week or more. This may ensure that the flu won't come back.

 Typical illnesses treated with ginger include bacterial dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramps, and lack of appetite. If you have intestinal flu, you probably have all the above-mentioned symptoms; the good news is that you can get rid of them and maybe even their cause with a cupful of ginger tea.
 


   Medicinal Action and Uses of Ginger(Zingiber officinale):

 Stimulant, carminative, given in dyspepsia and flatulent colic excellent to add to bitter infusions; specially valuable in alcoholic gastritis; of use for diarrhoea from relaxed bowel where there is no inflammation. Ginger Tea is a hot infusion very useful for stoppage of the mensesdue to cold, externally it is a rubefacient. Essence of Ginger should be avoided, as it is often adulterated with harmful ingredients.

 Ginger is thought to have blood thinning properties and the ability to lower blood cholesterol levels. It is a blood stimulant and cleansing herb. It is also used for respiratory problems such as colds, sore throats, bronchitis, congestion, headaches and pain.
 It is used for numerous ailments including menstrual symptoms, inflammation, arthritis, high cholesterol, liver problems, gastrointestinal problems and motion sickness.
 Is most used as a carminative, usually mixed with variety of other herbs, because of its great ability to stop griping and cramping especially in the abdominal and intestinal area.

 A regulator of blood cholesterol to improve blood circulation.
 Ginger is an excellent companion, warming the body, improving the circulation and activating the body's defences. Ginger has a very useful function during colds, flu, virus infections, coughs, chronic bronchial problems and low-grade infections of all kinds. Compounds from Ginger include Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholerae, and Tricophyton violaceum.

 Magnesium, calcium and phosphorus function together in bone formation, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission. The high content of these minerals in ginger makes it a useful candidate for muscle spasms, depression, hypertension, muscle weakness, convulsions, confusion, personality changes, nausea, lack of coordination and gastrointestinal disorders.
 The high content of potassium in ginger will protects the body against bone fragility, paralysis, sterility, muscle weakness, mental apathy and confusion, kidney damage, and damage to the heart. In addition to potassium's role in blood pressure regulation, it also regulates heartbeat.

 Ginger has a high content of antioxidants. This makes it a free radical scavenger. This means, it has antimutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
 The alcohol extract of ginger can directly stimulate the heart and the motor centre of the blood vessels. Dried ginger can arrest vomiting, tranquilize the patient, kill pain, dispel wind, strengthen the stomach and arrest coughing.
 Aqueous extracts at 2.5%, 5%, and 25% concentration have been effective against Trichomonas vaginalis.
 Therapeutic properties - Ginger is well researched, and its therapeutic benefits are largely due to its volatile oil and oleoresin content. Gingerol is an acrid constituent, responsible for much of the herb's hot taste and stimulating properties. The shogaols, formed as the plant dries, are more strongly irritant and acrid than the constituents present in the fresh rhizome.
 Antiemetic - Ginger is highly effective for motion sickness. Trials at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London in 1990 found the herb more effective than conventional medicines in relieving postoperative nausea.
 Antiseptic - In a trial in China 70% of patients with bacillary dysentery who were given ginger made a full recovery.
 


   Functions and applications of Ginger:

 Warms the spleen and stomach and dispels cold, recovers depleted yang and removes obstruction in the channels and collaterals as well as warms the lungs and removes fluid retention from the interior.
 Properties: Alterative, Antacid, Anti-Inflammatory,aromatic,Carminative,digestive,Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Febrifuge, Sialogue, Stimulant,Pungent in flavor, hot in nature, it is related to the spleen, stomach, heart and lung channels.
 Functions: Induces sweat, relieves exterior syndrome, warms the spleen and stomach to arrest vomiting, warms the lungs to relieve coughing, disperses cold. Ginger is also used medically to treat flatulence and colic.Dried ginger functions in warming the middle-jiao and eliminating pathogenic cold, recuperating depleted yang and promoting blood circulation.
 Primary Uses: Bronchitis, Childhood Diseases, Circulation/poor, Colds, Colic, Colitis, Cramps/stomach, Diarrhea, Dizziness, Fatigue, fevers, Flu, Gas, Gastric Disorders, Headache, heart problems, Indigestion, Morning Sickness, Motion Sickness, Nausea, Throat/sore, Vomiting
 Secondary Uses: Colon Problems, Coughs, Cramps/uterine, Hemorrhages, Intestinal Problems, Kidney Problems, Paralysis, Sinus Problems, Toothaches
 Folk Use: As a food flavoring. To treat indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Considered carminative, aphrodesiac, tonic, aperative and stomachic. Useful for stomachache, indigestion, malaria, and fever. Especially useful for motion sickness and morning sickness.
 Traditional formulas: Garlic combination, Agastache and Shengu combination, Cascara combination, Cascara and Dong Quai combination, Ginger combination, Senna combination, Ginger and Barberry combination, Ginseng and Licorice combination, Papaya and Peppermint combination, Slippery Elm combination, Black Cohosh combination, Black Cohosh and Goldenseal combination, False Unicorn and Goldenseal combination, Raspberry and Dong Quai combination, Ginger and Dong Quai combination, Bupleurum and Peony combination, Fushen and Dragon Bone combination, Bupleurum and Cyperus combination, Pinellia and Citrus combination, Bayberry and Ginger combination, White Willow and Valerian combination, Alisma and Hoelen combination, Ginseng and Parsley combination
 


  Applications of Ginger:

  1. Medicine for inducing sweat, expelling exopathogens and arresting vomiting:   It can treat common colds caused by wind-cold, relieve common cold with headache or nasal obstruction, sneezing, feeling of floating or taut pulse due to attack of pathogenic wind-cold.

  2. Vomiting due to cold in the stomach:  ginger can warm the stomach, disperse cold, regulate the spleen and stomach and arrest vomiting. It can treat vomiting due to cold in the stomach or abdominal pain. In cases of vomiting due to heat in the stomach, it is used together with Chinese gold thread rhizome (Rhizoma Coptidis), bamboo shavings, and the like, which can clear the stomach.

  3. Coughing caused by wind-cold:  Dispersing pungency and warmth, ginger can warm the lungs and disperse cold, resolve phlegm and relieve coughing. Therefore, it can be used to treat attacks of wind-cold on the lungs, coughing with abundant phlegm or nausea with headache.

  4. Removing toxins of fish and crabs:  It can treat poisoning caused by fish, crabs, pinellina rhizome or jack-in-the-pulpit (Rhizoma Arisaematis). To prevent poisoning by these substances, it is recommended that ginger be added when cooking fish or crabs or that pinellina rhizome or jack-in-the-pulpit be soaked in water together with ginger.

  5. Treat cold pain in the abdomen, cold-type vomiting and cold diarrhea:
 a) Vomiting due to stomach-cold and cold pain in the abdomen: This herb is always used in combination with lesser galangal (Rhizoma Alpiniae Officinarum), e.g., Er Jiang Wan.
 b) Cold pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea due to deficiency of the spleen and stomach with stagnation of cold:
 This herb is mostly used with dangshen (Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae), largehead atractylodes rhizome (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), etc., e.g., Lizhong Wan.

  6. To treat yang depletion syndromes:  such as cold of the limbs due to yang depletion and barely palpable pulse due to yang deficiency of the heart and kidneys and excessive yin-cold in the interior:
 This herb is always used in mutual enforcement with monkshood root (Radix Aconiti Praeparata), e.g., Sini Tang.

 


  7. To treat asthma and coughing due to fluid retention of cold type, cold body and back and copious watery phlegm.
 This herb is often used together with wild ginger (Herba Asari), Chinese magnoliavine fruit (Fructus Schisandrae), ephedra, etc., e.g., Xiao Qinglong Tang.

  8. Digestive problems:  Ginger is an excellent remedy for diagestive problems such as flatulence, nausea, indigestion, intestinal infections and certain types of food poisoning.

  9. The combination of sweat and circulatory stimulation allows ginger to move blood to the periphery:   This makes it a good remedy for chilblains, high blood pressure and fever. Ginger inhibits platelet aggregation, therefore, should be the ideal condiment for people predisposed to clotting which may lead to either heart-attack or stroke (Srivastava, K.C. et al. 1964).

  10. Ginger is also highly effective for motion and morning sickness.

  11. Motion Sickness:  Several studies suggest that ginger may be more effective than placebo in reducing symptoms associated with motion sickness. In one trial of 80 novice sailors (prone to motion sickness), those who took powdered ginger experienced a significant reduction in vomiting and cold sweating compared to those who took placebo. Similar results were found in a study with healthy volunteers. While these results are promising, other studies suggest that ginger is not as effective as medications in reducing symptoms associated with motion sickness. In a small study of volunteers who were given ginger (fresh root and powder form), scopolamine (a medication commonly prescribed for motion sickness), or placebo, those receiving the medication experienced significantly fewer symptoms compared to those who received ginger. Given the safety of ginger, however, many people find it a welcome alternative to medications if it relieves their motion sickness.

  12. Pregnancy Related Nausea and Vomiting:  At least two studies have found that ginger is more effective than placebo in relieving nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. In a small study including 30 pregnant women with severe vomiting, those who ingested 1 gram of ginger every day for four days reported more relief from vomiting than those who received placebo. In a larger study including 70 pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, those who received a similar dosage of ginger felt less nauseous and experienced fewer vomiting episodes than those who received placebo. (Note: fresh ginger root is safe to use during pregnancy, but dried ginger root is not. See Precautions.)

  13. Nausea and vomiting following surgery:  Research has produced mixed results regarding the use of ginger in the treatment of nausea and vomiting following surgery. In two studies, 1 gram of ginger root before surgery reduced nausea as effectively as a leading medication. In one of these two studies, women who received ginger also required fewer nausea-relieving medications following surgery. Other studies, however, have failed to find the same positive effects. In fact, one study found that ginger may actually increase vomiting following surgery. For this reason, further studies are needed to determine whether ginger is safe and effective for the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting following surgery.


  14.Inflammation:  In addition to providing relief from nausea and vomiting, ginger extract has long been used in traditional medical practices to decrease inflammation. In fact, many herbalists today use ginger to help treat health problems associated with inflammation, such as arthritis, bronchitis, and ulcerative colitis. In a recent study of 261 people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, those who received a ginger extract twice daily experienced less pain and required fewer pain-killing medications compared to those who received placebo. Although there have also been a few other studies of the benefit of ginger for arthritis, one recent trial found that the herb was no more effective than ibuprofen (a medication frequently used to treat OA) or placebo in reducing symptoms of OA.

  15.Digestive problems:  Ginger is an excellent remedy for many digestive complaints, such as indigestion, nausea, gas, and colic. Ginger relieves motion sickness and morning sickness. Ginger's antiseptic qualities also make it highly beneficial for gastro-intestinal infections, including some types of food poisoning.

  16.Circulatory stimulant:  Ginger stimulates the circulation, and helps blood to flow to the surface, making it an important remedy for chilblains and poor circulation to the hands and feet. By improving the circulation, ginger helps high blood pressure. Ginger also increases sweating and helps reduce body temperature in fevers.

  17.Respiratory conditions:  Ginger is warming and soothing for coughs, colds, flu, and other respiratory problems.

  18.Chinese herb:  Fresh and dried ginger are different remedies in China. Fresh ginger is given for fever, headaches, and aching muscles. Dried ginger is used for "internal cold," with symptoms such as cold hands, a weak pulse, and a pale complexion.

  19.Other:  Although it is much too early to tell if this will benefit those with heart disease, a few preliminary studies suggest that ginger may lower cholesterol and prevent the blood from clotting. Each of these effects may protect the blood vessels from blockage and the damaging effects of blockage such as atherosclerosis, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Again, however, it is too early too know if these initial study results will ultimately prove helpful for people. More research would be helpful.

 Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Ginger has been used as a spice and medicine for thousands of years, recorded in early Sanskrit, Chinese texts and ancient Greek, Roman and Arabic medical literature. It is the perfect digestive treatment. It is a warming herb, helping to reduce bloating, flatulence and intestinal spasms, while calming nausea and vomiting. This makes it great for motion sickness, morning sickness and the nausea that accompanies chemotherapy. We use it as a way to reduce serotonin levels and thin out the blood, which then enhances the diffusion of circulation. It is also well known as a topical poulticing agent for cols, headaches, nasal congestion and a runny nose.
 


   More reference materials and state of Ginger application:

 'Shen Nong's Herbal Classic': "To treat tightness in the chest, coughing or dyspnea caused by abnormal rising of lung-qi, diarrhea and dysentery by warming the spleen and stomach, arresting bleeding, inducing diaphoresis and relieving arthralgia due to wind-dampness. The raw herb is especially good."

 'The Compendium of Materia Medica': "The dried ginger ... has four functions: Firstly, it activates heart-yang; secondly, it removes deep and stubborn cold from the zang-organs and fu-organs; thirdly, it emits cold-qi from the channels; fourthly, it treats abdominal pain due to affection by cold."

 'Realistic Approach to Herbs': "Being very hot and non-toxic, the potency of the dried ginger will remains at a fixed position without any movement and this herb will give immediate effects for recovering depleted yang if used together with monkshood root (Radix Aconiti Praeparata) in the treatment of deficiency-cold in the stomach and the threatened exhaustion of primordial yang. Therefore, in the medical books there is a sentence saying that monkshood root will not be hot without any ginger."

  Historical View:

 "Traditionally, the warming and aromatic properties of ginger led to its use for numerous indications. It is a digestant and carminative, and was used for dyspepsia and bowel colic. It is a general stimulant, being one of many spices that are regarded as being aphrodisiacs. Ginger has been recommended as an expectorant and it is traditionally used in teas or soups to treat colds or bronchitis. Many traditional Chinese medicines contain ginger, and its use generally appears to be safe.

 Medicinal Properties The main constituents in ginger are phenolic compounds such as gingerols and shogaols, and sesquiterpenes such as zingiberene. These and other compounds are extracts found in ginger oleoresin. The main pungent flavor chemicals are the gingerols, which are not volatile. Recently, studies have suggested it is of value as an anti-emetic; however, it should probably not be used in nausea of pregnancy, since its safety has not been established. There is less convincing evidence to support claims that ginger is an antioxidant, with cancer preventing properties, or that it has anti-inflammatory benefits in arthritis. In large amounts, it appears to inhibit platelet aggregation.

  Modern Research:

 Ginger contains about 2 percent essential oil; the principal component is zingiberene and the pungent principle of the spice is zingerone. Other ingredients include phellandrene, camphene, shogaol, gingerol, borneol, citral, resin and starch.
 1. It has a biphasic action on the stomach, i.e., first inhibits its secretion and then stimulates for a longer period. Taking it orally can whet the appetite, and can also stimulate oral and gastric mucus and speed up the secretion of digestive juices.
 2. It can inhibit abnormal fermentation in the intestines and promote the discharge of gas.
 3. The mixture of zingiberol and shogaol can produce the effect of arresting vomiting.
 4. It can stimulate the respiration center and vasomotor centers, and induce sweat.
 5. It promotes circulation in the blood vessels, prevent blood coagulation, lowers blood lipides and prevents thrombosis, and is therefore very effective for preventing cardiac infarction. It can also raise blood pressure. It can excite the blood pressure to rise an average of 11.2 mmHg in normal people.


  Therapeutics and Pharmacology:

 In feverish conditions Zingiber's diaphoretic action promotes perspiration. As a carminative it promotes gastric secretion and is used in the treatment of dyspepsia, flatulence and colic. It is also a useful remedy in diarrhoea where there is no inflammation. It is stimulant to the gastro-intestinal tract, increasing peristalsis and the tone of the intestinal muscle. As an antiemetic it can be used in cases morning sickness. It is also said to be useful for suppressed menstruation. The fresh rootstock may be chewed to stimulate the flow of saliva or to soothe a sore throat. As a gargle it can also relieve a sore throat. Extracts of ginger stimulate the vasomotor and respiratory centres.
 Externally, Zingiber is the basis of many fibrositis and muscle strain treatments. In China the fresh root, sheng jiang, is used to promote sweating and as an expectorant for colds and chills. It is also roasted in hot ashes and used to treat diarrhoea or to stop bleeding. The dried root, gan jiang, is used to warm and stimulate the stomach and lungs, and is an effective yang restorative.
 

  Proposed Medical Benefits of Ginger:

 Although officially recognized as a remedy for appetite loss, indigestion and motion sickness, ginger root has a proven ability to combat all forms of nausea and vomiting. It has also been taken to loosen phlegm, relieve gas, and tighten the tissues, although its effectiveness for these purposes hasn't been proven. Comparisons between ginger and prescription or non-prescription drugs for motion sickness relief have been conducted, but results were inconclusive. However, in some of these studies, similar effectiveness was seen between ginger and drugs.

 Ginger may also ease sore throats, headaches, ulcerative colitis, some types of menstrual and arthritis pain, and fevers and aches caused by colds and flu.

 Ginger has also been used in connection with minor gastrointestinal problems such as gas or heartburn. It is thought to improve muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract. A few studies have provided preliminary evidence suggesting that ginger may be also useful in relieving both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Other traditional uses for ginger, such as for relieving toothaches, have not been proven by clinical studies. More research is needed for these and other possible uses of ginger.

 Most commonly used as a flavoring for food, ginger may also be taken orally in higher amounts as an herbal remedy to prevent or relieve nausea resulting from chemotherapy, motion sickness, pregnancy, and surgery. Results of laboratory studies as well as from small studies conducted among seasick sailors or ship passengers, found that ginger generally has more effectiveness for relieving motion sickness than placebo (or sugar pills). Several comparisons between ginger and prescription or non-prescription drugs have been conducted for relieving the nausea of pregnancy, but results are inconclusive. In some of the studies, similar effectiveness was seen between ginger and the comparator drug, while other studies found less or no effectiveness for ginger as compared to the drugs. In general, no adverse effects were noted from using ginger, for either the mother or the developing baby. Ginger has also been used in folk medicine to treat minor gastrointestinal problems such as gas or stomach cramps. Recent studies may confirm that ginger directly affects the gastrointestinal tract, helping to improve muscle tone and to prevent abnormally rapid and strong intestinal contractions.

 Results of limited studies in animals with diabetes show that ginger may reduce blood levels of sugar and cholesterol, while also lowering blood pressure. However, no human studies with similar results have been reported. A few small studies that have been conducted in humans have shown some promise for supplemental ginger in the treatment of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Other traditional uses for ginger, such as for relieving toothaches, have not been proven by clinical studies. More research is needed for these and other possible uses of ginger as a dietary supplement.

 Topically, the juice of fresh ginger has been used in folk medicine as a remedy for burns and minor skin irritation. Studies of laboratory cultures show that applying ginger -- usually as a liquid extract -- may kill or disable certain bacteria and fungi, In some parts of the world, ginger oil is used to repel insects and to prevent aphid or fungal infestation of gardens.


  Anti-oxidation effects:

 Sheng Jiang can significantly eliminate the superoxide anions generated by the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system and the hydroxide free radicals produced by ultra-violate radiation on H2O2. Concentrated solution of Sheng Jiang can significantly enhance the activity of the superoxide dismutase in mice's liver, and decrease the level of lipid peroxide (LPO).Sheng Jiang can effectively protect the activity of peroxide hydrogenase and Ca2+-ATPase, significantly decrease the level of lactic acid, and increase the peroxidase hydrogenase- and Ca2+-ATPase-to-lactic acid ratios.

  Anti-allergic effects:

 Administered to guinea pigs by gastric perfusion (0.2ml/kg), Sheng Jiang oil has a protective effect on allergic bronchi convulsion. It also has a dose-dependent effect of counteracting histamine- or acetelcholine-induced ileum contraction.

  Central-inhibitory effects:

 Administered to mice, Sheng Jiang oil can significantly inhibit the subjects' spontaneous activity, lengthen their pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep time, and counteract cardiazal-induced convulsion and pain. Administered to rats, it can counteract yeast-induced increase in temperature.

  Counteracting platelet:

 Alcohol-based extract of Sheng Jiang can decrease the viscosity of fibrinogen in rats, and inhibit adenosine diphosphate or ethanol-induced platelet aggregation.

  Diabetes :

 Results of limited studies in animals with diabetes show that ginger may reduce blood levels of sugar and cholesterol, while also lowering blood pressure. However, no human studies with similar results have been reported. A few small studies that have been conducted in humans have shown some promise for supplemental ginger in the treatment of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

  Inflammation:Anti-inflammatory effects:

 In addition to providing relief from nausea and vomiting, ginger extract has long been used in traditional medical practices to decrease inflammation. In fact, many herbalists today use ginger to help treat health problems associated with inflammation, such as arthritis, bronchitis, and ulcerative colitis. In a recent study of 261 people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, those who received a ginger extract twice daily experienced less pain and required fewer pain-killing medications compared to those who received placebo. Although there have also been a few other studies of the benefit of ginger for arthritis, one recent trial found that the herb was no more effective than ibuprofen (a medication frequently used to treat OA) or placebo in reducing symptoms of OA.

 Administered to mice by gastric perfusion, 0.25-0.4ml/kg of Sheng Jiang oil can significantly inhibit histamine- or acetic acid-induced capillary permeability increase. It can also significantly inhibit dimethylbenzene-induced auricular inflammation in mice and egg white-induced toe swelling in rats. Furthermore, it can significantly inhibit granulation tissue proliferation, and decrease the weight of the thymus gland and increase that of the adrenaline gland rats.


  Liver-protective and cholagogic effects:

 Sheng Jiang oil has a therapeutic effect on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in rats. It can significantly lower the serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) level. It can prevent carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in mice, and decrease sulfobromophthalein sodium (BSP) retention. To a limited degree, it also protects damaged liver cells of rats and mice.Duodenum administration of acetone-based extract (500mg/kg), 6-gingerol (100mg/kg), or 8-ginerol (100mg/kg) of Sheng Jiang has a significant cholagogic effect on rats.

  Motion Sickness:

 Several studies suggest that ginger may be more effective than placebo in reducing symptoms associated with motion sickness. In one trial of 80 novice sailors (prone to motion sickness), those who took powdered ginger experienced a significant reduction in vomiting and cold sweating compared to those who took placebo. Similar results were found in a study with healthy volunteers. While these results are promising, other studies suggest that ginger is not as effective as medications in reducing symptoms associated with motion sickness. In a small study of volunteers who were given ginger (fresh root and powder form), scopolamine (a medication commonly prescribed for motion sickness), or placebo, those receiving the medication experienced significantly fewer symptoms compared to those who received ginger. Given the safety of ginger, however, many people find it a welcome alternative to medications if it relieves their motion sickness.

 Ginger may also be taken orally as a herbal remedy to prevent or relieve nausea resulting from chemotherapy, motion sickness, pregnancy, and surgery.

 Results of laboratory studies as well as from small studies conducted among seasick sailors or ship passengers, found that ginger generally has more effectiveness for relieving motion sickness than placebo (or sugar pills). Several comparisons between ginger and prescription or non-prescription drugs have been conducted for relieving the nausea of pregnancy, but results are inconclusive.

  Nausea and vomiting following surgery:

 Research has produced mixed results regarding the use of ginger in the treatment of nausea and vomiting following surgery. In two studies, 1 gram of ginger root before surgery reduced nausea as effectively as a leading medication. In one of these two studies, women who received ginger also required fewer nausea-relieving medications following surgery. Other studies, however, have failed to find the same positive effects. In fact, one study found that ginger may actually increase vomiting following surgery. For this reason, further studies are needed to determine whether ginger is safe and effective for the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting following surgery.

  Pregnancy Related Nausea and Vomiting:

 At least two studies have found that ginger is more effective than placebo in relieving nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. In a small study including 30 pregnant women with severe vomiting, those who ingested 1 gram of ginger every day for four days reported more relief from vomiting than those who received placebo. In a larger study including 70 pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, those who received a similar dosage of ginger felt less nauseous and experienced fewer vomiting episodes than those who received placebo. (Note: fresh ginger root is safe to use during pregnancy, but dried ginger root is not. See Precautions.)

  Stimulating warming to the system:

 This stimulating herb is warming to the system. In her book '10 Essential Herbs' author Lalitha Thomas describes the properties: "The major active ingredients in ginger are terpenes (quite similar to the chemical action of turpentine) and an oleo-resin called ginger oil. These two, and other active ingredients in ginger, provide antiseptic, lymph-cleansing, circulation-stimulating, and mild constipation relief qualities along with a potent perspiration-inducing action that is quite effective in cleansing the system of toxins."

  Treatment of Dyspepsia (discomfort after eating):

 Ginger root is a medicinal herb used primarily for the treatment of Dyspepsia (discomfort after eating), this includes the symptoms of bloating, heartburn, flatulence, and nausea. It is also considered helpful as a preventative for motion sickness and as a digestive. Due to it's antispasmodic characteristic some people have used it to help ease menstrual cramps. In some traditional systems it is credited with the ability to treat arthritis, fevers, headaches, and toothaches.

  Other:

 Although it is much too early to tell if this will benefit those with heart disease, a few preliminary studies suggest that ginger may lower cholesterol and prevent the blood from clotting. Each of these effects may protect the blood vessels from blockage and the damaging effects of blockage such as atherosclerosis, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Again, however, it is too early too know if these initial study results will ultimately prove helpful for people. More research would be helpful.

 In some of the studies, similar effectiveness was seen between ginger and the comparator drug, while other studies found less or no effectiveness for ginger as compared to the drugs. In general, no adverse effects were noted from using ginger, for either the mother or the developing baby. Ginger has also been used in folk medicine to treat minor gastrointestinal problems such as gas or stomach cramps. Recent studies may confirm that ginger directly affects the gastrointestinal tract, helping to improve muscle tone and to prevent abnormally rapid and strong intestinal contractions.

 If a person has exercised too much or suffers from arthritis or rheumatism, ginger has been known to ease inflammation of the joints and muscle tissue. Due to its tremendous circulation-increasing qualities, ginger is thought to improve the complexion. It has reduced nervousness, eased tendonitis, and helped sore throats return to normal. Studies demonstrate that ginger can lower cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol absorption in the blood and liver. It may also aid in preventing internal blood clots.
 


   Additional Research of Ginger:

 In a study, acetone extract of ginger at 100 mg/kg p.o. significantly inhibited serotonin (5-HT) induced hypothermia. The active responsible was found to be shogoal. Shogoal, [6]-dehydrogingerdione, [8]- and [10]-gingerol were also found to have an anticathartic action (Huang Q, et al. (1990).

  

       Gingerol     
  

   Gingerol           Shogaol
  

         Zingerone     
  

   Piperyl           Nordihydrocaps
  

   capsaicin           dihydrocaps
 The pungent constituents of ginger release substance P from sensory fibres. The released substance P in turn either stimulates cholinergic and histaminic neurons to release Ach and histamine, respectively, or produces direct muscle contraction by activating M and H1 receptors correspondingly. It is proposed that after being excited by substance P, M and H1 receptors are inactive temporarily and unable to be excited by agonists, therefore, ginger juice exhibits anticholinergic and antihistaminic action. Ginger juice produces antimotion sickness action possibly by central and peripheral anticholinergic and antihistaminic effects.


   Dosage and Administration of Ginger.:

 Pediatric:Ginger should not be used by children under 2 years of age.
 Ginger may be used by children over 2 years of age to treat nausea, digestive cramping, and headaches. Adjust the recommended adult dose to account for the child's weight. Most herbal dosages for adults are calculated on the basis of a 150 lb (70 kg) adult. Therefore, if the child weighs 50 lb (20 to 25 kg), the appropriate dose of ginger for this child would be 1/3 of the adult 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.

 To lessen the possibility of side effects, no more than 4000 mg (4 grams) of powdered ginger or 10,000 mg (10 grams) of fresh ginger should be taken orally per day.

 Ginger for medical use is available in a wide variety of dosage forms that include fresh ginger, dried powder (usually in capsules containing 500 mg or 1000 mg), and liquids such as extracts, tinctures, and syrups. Extracts are concentrated liquid preparations usually made by soaking chopped or mashed plant parts in a liquid such as alcohol, and then straining out the solid parts. Tinctures are less concentrated than extracts, but they are prepared in similar ways. Due to its sharp, tangy taste, ginger may be sweetened with sugar to make a syrup that may be more acceptable to children.

 Ginger tea is made by simmering approximately 500 mg of fresh, grated ginger or approximately1000 mg of dried ginger in about 5 ounces of boiling water for about 10 minutes. The solid particles are then removed from the tea before drinking it. Ginger tea is often sweetened or flavored with other sweet spices such as cinnamon.

 Fresh Root:
 Decoction -For chills and phlegmy colds, use 1 - 2 slices to a cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes. A pinch of cinnamon can be added.
 Tincture -Use 2 -10 drops per dose as a warming circulatory stimulant; also for flatulence, indigestion, and nausea.

 Dried Root:
 Capsules -Take 1 - 2 x 200 mg capsules before a journey for travel sickness. Use up to 1 g doses for morning sickness in pregnancy.
 Decoction -The Chinese use dried ginger in combination with other herbs as a restorative for yang or spleen energies, for abdominal fullness, nausea, and excess phlegm.

 Essential Oil:
 Massage Oil-Add 5-10 drops ginger oil to 25 ml almond oil for rheumatism or lumbago. Combines well with juniper or eucalyptus oil.
 Oil-use 1-2 drops on a sugar lump or in half a teaspoon of honey for flatulence, menstrual cramps, nausea, or stomach upsets.
 


 Although dosing varies, some common recommendations for powdered ginger are: Motion sickness 1000 mg (one gram) up to 4 hours before travel
 For nausea, gas, or indigestion: 2 to 4 grams of fresh root daily (0.25 to 1.0 g of powdered root) or 1.5 to 3.0 mL (30 to 90 drops) tincture daily. To prevent vomiting, take 1 gram of powdered ginger (1/2 tsp) or its equivalent every four hours as needed, or 2 ginger capsules (1 gram) three times daily. You may also chew a ? oz piece of fresh ginger.
 To relieve arthritis pain: Take fresh ginger juice, extract, or tea, 2 to 4 grams daily; rub ginger oil into painful joint; or place fresh root in a warm poultice or compress and apply to painful areas.
 For cold and flu symptoms, sore throat, headache and menstrual cramps: Steep 2 tbsp of freshly shredded ginger in boiled water, two to three times daily, or place a drop of ginger oil or a few slices of fresh rhizome in steaming water and inhale.
 Nausea after surgery:1000 mg one gram)one hour before surgery
 Nausea from chemotherapy:2000 mg to 4000 mg ( 2grams to 4 grams)per day
 Nausea of pregnancy:500 mg to 1500 mg (0.5 gram to 1.5 grams) up to four times a day
 Indigestion: 2 to 4 grams a day
 Motion sickness: 1 gram 30 minutes before travel; for continuing symptoms, 0.5 to 1 gram every 4 hours.
 To prevent vomiting: 0.5 to 2 grams daily
 Arthritis: 1 to 2 grams daily
 Pregnancy: For nausea associated with pregnancy, women can take up to 1 gram daily, but should not use ginger for extended period of time.
 Indicated for: Arthritis, fevers, headaches, and toothaches, lowers blood cholesterol and blood-pressure and aids in preventing internal blood clots. Coughs or bronchitis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, improves the complexion, eases tendonitis. There is some evidence to suggest that it helps to combat skin, ovarian, colon and breast cancer.


  When should I be careful taking it?

 Individuals with diabetes should avoid using large amounts of ginger because it may lower blood sugar levels, potentially resulting in hypoglycemia (blood sugar that is too low). Signs that blood sugar may be too low include shakiness, sweating, confusion, distorted speech, and loss of muscle control. If not corrected, low blood sugar can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, and even death.
 Ginger is also thought to promote the flow of bile, which can worsen gallstones, so individuals who have gallstones should not use it.

  Precautions:

 Although ginger is generally considered to be safe during pregnancy, one case of a miscarriage has been reported in a woman who was using ginger to relieve nausea. Whether the miscarriage was related to the use of ginger is unknown. In laboratory studies, one component of ginger has appeared to cause birth defects in babies born to animals given very large doses of ginger during pregnancy. No similar results have been reported in humans, and equivalent amounts of ginger for humans would be nearly impossible to ingest. To avoid any possible problems, ginger should only be used with the supervision of a health professional for pregnancy-induced nausea.
 Because very little is known about the possible effects of large amounts of ginger for infants and very young children, women who are breast-feeding and children less than 2 years of age should avoid taking it as a supplement. The amounts of ginger ordinarily used to flavor foods are thought to be within acceptable limits for all age groups, however.
 The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in the field of botanical medicine.
 The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) gives fresh ginger root a class 1 safety rating, indicating that it is a safe herb with a wide dosage range. Side effects associated with ginger are rare, but if taken in excessive doses the herb may cause mild heartburn. The AHPA gives dried ginger root a class 2b rating, indicating that it should not be used during pregnancy.
 People with gallstones should consult a physician before taking ginger.
 Avoid taking in acute inflammatory conditions. Although there is some evidence that ginger may actually be helpful in gastritis and peptic ulcertation, care is needed in these conditions as any spice may excaccerbate the problem. Avoid when pregnant or trying to get pregnant (large doses may have abortifacient effects). Avoid therapeutic doses if taking anti-coagulant therapy such as warfarin and seek advice if taking medication for heart problems. High blood pressure should always be monitored by a healthcare professional. Do not use if suffering from Gall stones.
 


  Possible side effects:

 Ingesting ginger occasionally in the amounts used to flavor foods has not been associated with side effects. Taking amounts over about 2000 mg (2 grams) of fresh ginger or about 3000 mg (3 grams) of powdered ginger per day on a continual basis may result in side effects more often than lower or less frequent doses. Side effects may be more common with uncooked, fresh ginger than with other forms of ginger.

 Major Side Effects: Very large overdoses of ginger in laboratory animals have been associated with changes in heart rhythm and central nervous system symptoms such as dizziness and weakness. No reports of similar side effects in humans have been published.

 Less Severe Side Effects: Side effects most often reported by individuals taking supplemental ginger include: Burning or tingling in the mouth;Diarrhea;Heartburn,etc.

  Possible interactions:

 Using ginger occasionally in foods has not been associated with interactions. However, when taken continually, supplemental amounts exceeding 2000 mg (2 grams) of fresh ginger or 3000 mg (3 grams) of powdered ginger per day may have a small risk of interactions.


  Interactions with Prescription Drugs:

 In studies of laboratory animals, extremely high doses of ginger have been associated with a small increase in the time blood needs to clot. At least one case of an increased international normalized ratio (INR) and nosebleed has been reported in a human taking both an anticoagulant and an unknown amount of supplemental ginger. Therefore, the possibility exists that high continual doses of ginger taken with an antiplatelet or anticoagulant drug, could increase the effect of the drug and that uncontrolled bleeding could occur.

 Antiplatelet drugs include Plavix and Ticlid. Anticoagulants include heparin and warfarin.
 Because ginger may have a lowering effect on blood sugar, taking large amounts of ginger for extended periods of time may increase the effectiveness of medications used for the treatment of diabetes. If you are using insulin or taking medications for diabetes, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking supplemental ginger.

 Due to an unpredictable effect on blood pressure, prolonged daily use of powdered ginger over about 4000 mg (4 grams) or fresh ginger over about 10,000 mg (10 grams) may interfere with the effects of drugs that lower blood pressure. Some blood pressure-lowering drugs are:

 ACE inhibitors such as captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, and Monopril
 Beta blockers such as atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol
 Calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine, Norvasc, and verapamil
 Diuretics such as Dyazide, furosemide, and hydrochlorothiazide

 The effectiveness of drugs used to treat heart conditions may also be altered by large amounts of ginger taken for extended periods of time. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking ginger if you take drugs for any heart condition.

 Ginger is believed to affect the production of acid in the stomach. Therefore, it may interfere with the effectiveness of sucralfate (Carafate), Histamine-2 (H-2) receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors.

 H-2 receptor blockers include: cimetidine (Tagamet);famotidine (Pepcid);nizatidine (Axid);ranitidine (Zantac)
 Proton pump inhibitors include: esomeprazole (Nexium);lansoprazole (Prevacid);omeprazole (Prilosec);pantoprazole (Protonix)

 Blood-thinning medications:
 Although ginger may interfere with blood clotting, there have been no scientific or case reports of interactions between ginger and blood-thinning medications. However, people taking these medications with ginger should be monitored closely by a healthcare practitioner for risk of bleeding.

 Cyclophosphamide:
 Ginger may reduce the toxic side effects of cyclophosphamide (a medication used to treat a variety of cancers). More research is needed in this area.

  Interactions with Non-prescription Drugs:

 In theory, ginger can slow down the ability of blood to clot. Aspirin can also delay clotting, so high doses of ginger should not be taken at the same time as aspirin.
 The possibility that ginger can affect the production of stomach acid could interfere with the effectiveness of antacids and over-the-counter medications such as Pepcid AC, Prilosec OTC, and Zantac AR.

  Interactions with Herbal Products:

 Theoretically, if large doses of ginger are used with other herbs that affect blood clotting, bleeding may occur. The most common herbal products that might inhibit blood clotting are:

 Danshen;Devil's Claw,Garlic,Ginkgo,Ginseng;Horse Chestnut;Papain;Red Clover;Saw Palmetto,etc.Some interactions between herbal products and medications can be more severe than others.
 

  Toxicity and Safety of Ginger:

  Acute Toxicity of Ginger Oil: LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.Abdominal injection.1.23 ml/kg.LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.Gastric Perfusion. 3.45ml/kg.
 Reference:Zhang Zhu Xin, et al. Journal of Chinese Materia Medica. 1988;19(9):407-409.

  Acute Toxicity of Shogaol: LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.IV injection.50.9mg/kg;LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.Abdominal Injection.109mg/kg;LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.Gastric Perfusion.687mg/kg.

  Acute Toxicity of Gingerol: LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.IV injection.25.5mg/kg;LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.Abdominal Injection.581mg/kg;LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.Gastric Perfusion.250mg/kg.
 Reference:Chi Tian Zheng Shu, et al. Foreign Medicine, vol. of TCM. 1981;(2):53.

  Crude drug toxicity: LD50 (mice/water extract of dried ginger): 33500 mg/kg.Shoyakugaku Zasshi, 37 (1), 37-83 (1983)


   Culture and Practice of Ginger Tea.

  Culture of Ginger Tea:

 According to Oriental Materia Medica, fresh ginger, the form used in making beverage teas (as opposed to dry ginger, which has slightly different properties) has the following characteristics:
  Taste and Nature: pungent flavor, mild, warm property;
  Actions: resolves the surface, warms the stomach and spleen, controls vomiting, removes toxin;
  Applications: common cold due to wind-cold; nausea and vomiting; swelling and pain in the chest and abdomen; retention of phlegm; wheezing.

 One group of active constituents of ginger is the essential oils, with borneol and related compounds plus sesquiterpenes (small aromatic compounds). One of the main sesquiterpenes in ginger is bisabolene. Bisabolene is similar to the key ingredient of chamomile (bisabolol), which, in turn, has similarity to chrysandiol in chrysanthemum. These compounds appear to promote digestion, alleviate nausea, reduce inflammation, and prevent mucus accumulation.

 A unique component of ginger is its oleoresins-these have been identified as phenylalkylketones, including the group of gingerols, shogaols and zingerone. These compounds are thought to confer several of the health benefits of this herb, such as reducing gastro-intestinal inflammation. In addition, they may bind up irritating and toxic substances in the gastro-intestinal tract and render them relatively harmless. These actions account for the popularity of ginger in treating digestive system disturbances. Like green tea, this herb is also used for alleviating phlegm retention and promoting circulation. Following is a brief review of ginger's health benefits and uses as understood today:

  Nausea - it is often used to ease nausea during traveling or early pregnancy as well as that due to other causes. The anti-nausea and anti-vomiting qualities of ginger appear to surpass that of drug therapies (e.g., Dramamine) used for the same purpose.
  Digestion - it has the ability to calm the stomach, promote the flow of bile, and improve the appetite.
  Abdominal Cramps caused by flatulence - it can relieve this symptom, often quicker than any other herbal medicine.
  Circulation - it helps to support a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky and therefore reducing the likelihood of aggregation (a major factor in atherosclerosis). Much recent work has focused on the use of ginger in circulatory disorders such as Raynaud's disease, which is characterized by very cold fingers and toes. Ginger appears to promote blood flow to these areas, which eases the problem.
  Rheumatoid arthritis - it has traditionally been used to help inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. It is also valued for its analgesic action, which may help arthritic conditions.
  Cholesterol - studies have suggested that ginger may be useful in keeping cholesterol levels under control
  Respiratory infections - it is well known for its warming expectorant action on the upper respiratory tract, and this is why Chinese herbalists have traditionally used ginger to treat colds and influenza.
 
 In China, this herb, used in cooking and medicine, was so highly regarded that preserved ginger was stored in highly decorated "ginger jars," which were given as precious gifts. Here is a famous painting of a black phoenix ginger jar by an unknown artist:


  Practitioners' Advice:

 For digestive upsets which involve nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, ginger is one of the most effective agents around. This is true if the source of the problem is motion sickness or a digestive bug. It will remove the unpleasant symptoms and in the case of a microbial caused malady, address the fundamental problem. Indeed, if you are traveling to countries noted for their ability to upset the stomach, it may pay to keep some ginger tablets or tincture on hand, just in case. The tincture and the tablets work equally well and are probably more practical than making ginger tea! However, if you find yourself in the tropics and in trouble, you can always go to the market and get yourself some ginger. Boil water and add a teaspoon of grated ginger. Allow the tea to boil for five minutes, strain and drink. You will start to feel better right away!

  Ginger Tea for Women:

 This ginger tea is extraordinarily healing for all female organs and the intestines, as well as for stressed nerves and a sluggish metabolism.
 a thumb-sized piece of ginger
 2 cups (1/2 l) milk
 1 cups (1/4 l) water

 Peel the ginger and grate or slice very fine. Simmer very slowly for about 20 minutes in the water. Now add up to 2 cups (1/2 l) milk and let it boil up. Remove from the heat and sweeten with honey or cane sugar. Ginger tea is best consumed in small sips over the course of the day, as required. In the morning and before meals it stimulates digestion; on cold winter afternoons it warms and protects from the flu. Many women take the tea after miscarriages or abdominal surgery, to promote the healing of the uterus.

 Ginger tea is so effective against ailments of the reproductive and digestive systems because it stimulates circulation and supports a good blood supply to these organs. Bloating can be treated with this tea, by adding a pinch of cinnamon. In the presence of stomach ulcers, however, modest amounts of this tea are recommended and the quantity of ginger can be cut down. Similarly, in the early weeks of pregnancy, the further stimulation of blood flow into the abdomen is not recommended, so go easy on ginger at this time. Modest amounts, however, are a great remedy for morning sickness.

  Candied Ginger:

 1 lb. fresh ginger root
 3 cups cold water
 2 cups granulated sugar
 1 cup cold water
 1 cup superfine sugar

 Pare the root and cut into long narrow slices, across the grain. Cover with about 1 1/2 cups cold water in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Simmer 5 minutes, drain, and cover with cold water again. Heat to boiling, simmer 5 minutes more. Drain. Dry well.
 Combine granulated sugar and 1 cup of water in a small kettle. Boil 10 minutes. Add the ginger slices and cook over very low heat. Do not boil. Stir, and cook until all the syrup is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Remove the ginger, and dry on a rack.
 Roll the cooled ginger in superfine sugar, and let it stand in the sugar until it has crystalized.
 


   The essence of ginger.

 Ginger offers a variety of therapeutic effects which no modern medication can rival. Unfortunately, due to a monopolistic health-care system and a historically biased regulatory environment, full awareness of ginger's value has been limited.
 Ginger is the most popular of hundreds of members of the Zingiberaceae family. To be botanically correct, ginger is a rhizome and not a root. Ginger is available in many varieties, from mild to spicy, and requires tropical conditions and fertile soil for optimal growth.
 Over a period of 5,000 years, ginger traveled from Southeast Asia to the New World. Considered a treasure by some of the great figures of history, its ancient trade helped shape nations and insure its worldwide cultivation.

 The observed effects of ginger are the result of the interactions of more than 400 constituents which can be broken down into four major classes: taste, fragrance, nutrients and synergists. While most of the therapeutic focus is on the pungent taste compounds, called gingerols and shogaols, ginger's protein-digesting enzyme and antioxidant are also key elements.
 Observed effects like anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, anti