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Other common
name(s): ginger root
Scientific/medical
name(s): Zingiber
officinale
Description
Ginger is a plant native to Southeast Asia that is also grown
in the United States, China, India, and various tropical regions. The
root is usually the part of the plant used in herbal remedies.
Overview
Ginger has a long history as an herbal remedy for upset
stomach, motion sickness, and loss of appetite and as a pungent spice
for cooking. Some controlled studies in humans show ginger reduces
nausea and vomiting from some causes. Most clinical studies of ginger
have tested the use of this herb for nausea associated with pregnancy
or following surgery. Very little is known about its effectiveness in
relieving nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.
There are a number of conventional medicines for nausea and
vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Available scientific evidence
does not support claims that ginger can add to the effectiveness of
these medicines. However, some people with cancer find that the taste
or aroma of beverages and foods containing ginger helps soothe their
nausea.
Ginger may interfere with blood clotting and should only be
used by cancer patients after talking about it with their doctors. This
concern applies mostly to people whose clotting function is already
weakened by their cancer or its treatment or to people having surgery.
How is it promoted for use?
Ginger has been used to control or prevent nausea, vomiting,
and motion sickness; as an anti-inflammatory (a drug that reduces pain
and swelling); a cold remedy; an aid to digestion; a remedy for
intestinal gas; and to help relieve nausea in cancer patients who are
having chemotherapy. Some proponents have also claimed ginger is able
to keep tumors from developing, even though available scientific
evidence does not support this.
What does it involve?
Ginger has been approved by Commission E (Germany's regulatory
agency for herbs) for indigestion and the prevention of motion
sickness. Ginger is available as a dried or fresh root, as a tea, in
powder form, as a liquid extract, as a tincture, in tablets, in
capsules, and in candied form. Many parents give their children ginger
ale to settle an upset stomach, but the soft drink often does not
contain much ginger, and some ales have artificial flavoring in them
instead of ginger.
Fresh or dried ginger root is used in cooking and in preparing
herbal remedies. A broad range of daily doses of ginger is reported,
from 250 milligrams to 1 gram. For the treatment of nausea, the usual
dose is 250 milligrams to 1 gram of powdered ginger taken with a liquid
several times per day.
What is the history behind it?
The root of the ginger plant has been used in cooking and as
an herbal remedy since ancient times. The ancient Greeks ate ginger
wrapped in bread to prevent nausea from a huge feast. For many
centuries, Chinese sailors have taken ginger to avoid sea sickness. A
proverb from ancient India maintains that everything good can be found
in ginger. Its traditional role in herbal medicine has been as a remedy
for nausea, motion sickness, heartburn, vomiting, stomach cramps, and
loss of appetite.
What is the evidence?
According to some, but not all, controlled studies in humans,
ginger reduces nausea. Most studies also show that ginger reduces
motion sickness and severe vomiting in early pregnancy. Although some
clinicians warn that using ginger during pregnancy or breast-
feeding (at doses that are higher than the amount eaten in foods) might
cause harmful effects, there is no objective evidence of harm to the
mother, fetus, or infant.
Studies of ginger's ability to reduce nausea and vomiting
associated with surgery have had mixed results. At least 3 studies
found ginger had no effect on nausea and vomiting after surgery, while
other studies have found a significant decrease in nausea and vomiting
when ginger was given before the operation. These inconsistencies may
be due to the difficulty in measuring symptoms of nausea.
The chemotherapy drug cisplatin can cause nausea, vomiting,
and delayed emptying of the stomach. Indian researchers found that
extracts from ginger helped to speed up stomach emptying in dogs and
rats that were given cisplatin chemotherapy. However, extracted
chemicals or substances are different from the raw plant. Thus, study
results of extracts will not necessarily have the same result as
studies using the raw plant. In a clinical trial of patients receiving
cisplatin, addition of ginger to standard drugs for nausea did not
reduce this symptom.
While ginger may be effective in treating nausea and vomiting
associated with some cancer treatments, it may also interfere with
blood clotting. This could be life threatening to some patients
receiving chemotherapy.
Recent preliminary results in animals show some effect in
slowing or preventing tumor growth. While these results are not well
understood, they warrant further investigation. However, it is too
early in the research process to say whether ginger will have the same
effect in humans.
Are there any possible problems or
complications?
This product is sold as a
dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike companies that produce
drugs (which must provide the FDA with results of detailed testing
showing their product is safe and effective before the drug is approved
for sale), the companies that make supplements do not have to show
evidence of safety or health benefits to the FDA before selling their
products. Supplement products without any reliable scientific evidence
of health benefits may still be sold as long as the companies selling
them do not claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any
specific disease. Some such products may not contain the amount of the
herb or substance that is written on the label, and some may include
other substances (contaminants). Though the FDA has written new rules
to improve the quality of manufacturing processes for dietary
supplements and the accurate listing of supplement ingredients, these
rules do not take full effect until 2010. And, the new rules do not
address the safety of supplement ingredients or their effects on health
when proper manufacturing techniques are used.
Most such
supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with
medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some
reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full
studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of
these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions
below should be considered incomplete.
People who have cancer should talk to their doctor before
taking ginger, because it has the potential to interfere with blood
clotting and prolong bleeding time. There is some disagreement in
published studies about the likelihood of this side effect. The risk of
serious bleeding may be higher if the person is taking blood-thinning
medications such as warfarin (Coumadin) or a medicine that can lower
his or her level of platelets (blood cells that help the blood to clot)
or interfere with platelet function. In rare cases, some people have
had an allergic reaction to ginger. Ginger has also been reported to
cause occasional rashes, heartburn, and mild stomach upset. Relying on
this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional
medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences.
Additional Resources
More information from your American Cancer
Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be found on
our Web site (www.cancer.org)
or ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs:
Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin, TX: American Botanical
Council; 1998.
Borrelli F, Capasso R, Aviello G, Pittler MH, Izzo AA.
Effectiveness and safety of ginger in the treatment of
pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting. Obstet Gynecol.
2005;105:849-856.
Ginger. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Web site.
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69234.cfm. Accessed June 4, 2008.
Gruenwald J. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 3rd ed. Montvale, NJ:
Thomson PDR; 2004.
Janssen PL, Meyboom S, van Staveren WA, de Vegt F, Katan MB.
Consumption of ginger (Zingiber officinale roscoe) does not affect ex
vivo platelet thromboxane production in humans. Eur J Clin Nutr.
1996;50:772-774.
Lumb AB. Effect of dried ginger on human platelet function.
Thromb Haemost. 1994;71:110-111.
Manusirivithaya S, Sripramote M, Tangjitgamol S, Sheanakul C,
Leelahakorn S, Thavaramara T, Tangcharoenpanich K. Antiemetic effect of
ginger in gynecologic oncology patients receiving cisplatin. Int J
Gynecol Cancer. 2004;14:1063-1069.
Miller LG. Herbal medicinals: selected clinical considerations
focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions. Arch Intern Med.
1998;158:2200-2211.
Natural Standard. Herbal/plant therapies: ginger (zingiber
officinale roscoe). Complementary/Integrative Medicine Education
Resources, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Web
site.
http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/cimer/display.cfm?id=82CB5C51-25BC-4E47-B40D13CCB176AE64&method=displayFull.
Accessed June 4, 2008.
O'Hara MA, Kiefer D, Farrell K, Kemper K. A review of 12
commonly used medicinal herbs. Arch Fam Med. 1998;7:523-536.
Shalansky S, Lynd L, Richardson K, Ingaszewski A, Kerr C. Risk
of warfarin-related bleeding events and supratherapeutic international
normalized ratios associated with complementary and alternative
medicine: a longitudinal analysis. Pharmacotherapy. 2007;27:1237-1247.
Sharma SS, Gupta YK. Reversal of cisplatin-induced delay in
gastric emptying in rats by ginger (Zingiber officinale). J
Ethnopharmacol. 1998;62:49-55.
Smith C, Crowther C, Willson K, Hotham N, McMillian V. A
randomized controlled trial of ginger to treat nausea and vomiting in
pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2004;103:639-645.
Tavlan A, Tuncer S, Erol A, Reisli R, Aysolmaz G, Otelcioglu
S. Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy:
combined antiemetic treatment with dexamethasone and ginger versus
dexamethasone alone. Clinical Drug Investig. 2006;26:209-214.
Note: This information may not cover
all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or
interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be
relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Last Medical Review: 11/01/2008
Last Revised: 11/01/2008
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