Medicinal properties of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)

1 Article Medicinal properties of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). Samir Malhotra1 and Amrit Pal Singh2*. 1. Department of Pharmacology PGIMER, Chandigarh 2. Super Specialty Division, Ind-Swift Lab, Chandigarh *Correspondent author, E-mail: Abstract Traditional use The Medicinal plants find application in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, Ginger is known as Sunthi agricultural and food industry. The efficacy of some herbal products is in Ayurveda and description of the beyond doubt, the most recent examples being Silybum marianum plant appears in the old text like (Linn.) Gaertn (silymarin), Artemisia annua Linn. (artemesinin) and Charaka, Sushruta, Vagbhatta and Taxus baccata Linn.

2 (taxol). Randomized, controlled trials have proved The use of drug is the efficacy of some established remedies, for instance Zingiber officinale mentioned in form of Trikatu, a Rosc. commonly known as Ginger . After extensive pharmacological famous Ayurvedic remedy for the studies, it has been concluded that Ginger has significant anti- treatment of digestive disorders. In inflammatory, anti-emetic and chemo-protective effects. The article Ashtanga Hridaya, the plant has summarises various scientific studies and tries to analyze the current been used in Rasna Saptak Quath status of research in the pharmacological activities of Ginger . (a decoction based on seven Medicinal herbs), and a traditional remedy for arthritis.

3 2 Pharma- Introduction are typical and aromatic. The cologically, the drug in Ayurveda Medicinal part of the herb is dried Ginger (Zingiber officinale has been described as appetizer. It roots. Rosc.) is a creeping perennial on a is also indicated in ointment form thick tuberous rhizome, which It is now recognized as a for local application in pains. spreads under ground. In the first drug of choice for nausea and year, a green, erect reed like stem vomiting. It has also been found Phytochemistry about 60 cm high grows from this useful in pregnancy related morning rhizome. The plant has narrow; sickness. In rheumatoid arthritis and Ginger is a rich source of lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, osteoarthritis it is used as a natural volatile oil.

4 Zingiberol, zingiberene, 15-30 cm long leaves which die of pain reliever and an anti- phellandrene and linalool are each year. The odour and taste are inflammatory agent. It is also important constituents of the oil. characteristic, aromatic and useful in curing ulcer and preventing They account for the aroma of the pungent. heart attack and stroke. A number drug. The pungency of the Ginger is Ginger , valued as a spice has of active constituents and Medicinal due to gingerols and shogoals. been used through ages in almost all properties have been reported during Investigations have shown gingerol systems of medicine against many the last decade. and shogoals to be In a maladies.

5 The plant is indigenous The present article provides addition, Ginger contains a special to Southeast Asia and is cultivated a comprehensive account of group of compounds called in a number of countries including important Medicinal properties of diarylheptanoids including 4. India. The smell and taste of the drug this versatile herb. gingerenone. The standardization 296 Natural Product Radiance Vol 2(6) November-December 2003. Article of the drug is based on presence of aortic atherosclerosis as judged by Chemo-protective pungent principles of the plant. gross grading was more marked in pathogenic, the hypocholes- Early in vitro studies have Pharmacological activities terolemic group, while animals shown that the water or organic receiving Ginger extract along with solvent extract of Ginger possesses In folk medicine, the plant cholesterol showed a lower degree anti-oxidative and anti- is used as carminative, expectorant of atherosclerosis.

6 The results inflammatory properties . In a study, and astringent. Recently, a number indicate that Ginger is definitely an researchers evaluated whether of studies have been conducted anti-hyperlipidemic agent. ethanol extract of Ginger possesses 7. which show various pharma- anti-tumour promoting effects in a cological effects of the plant. Anti-emetic mouse skin tumorigenesis model. Because skin tumour promoters Hypolipidemic Cisplatin causes nausea, induced epidermal ornithine vomiting and inhibition of gastric decarboxylase (ODC), cyclo Number of studies has been emptying. In a study, acetone and oxygenase, and lipo oxygenase published about the cholesterol ethanolic extracts of Ginger activities, and edema and lowering effects of ,6 The demonstrated anti-emetic effect hyperplasia are conventionally used effects of ethanolic extracts of against cisplatin-induced emesis in markers of skin tumours Ginger were studied in cholesterol dogs.

7 The acetone and 50% fed rabbits. The marked rise in ethanolic extract of Ginger in the Pre-application of Ginger on serum and tissue cholesterol, serum doses of 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg to the skin of SENCAR mice triglyceride, serum lipo-proteins and ( ) and Ginger juice in the doses resulted in significant inhibition of phospholipids that followed 10 of 2 and 4 ml/kg, were investigated 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- weeks of cholesterol feeding, was against Cisplatin effect on gastric acetate (TPA)-caused induction of significantly reduced by the emptying in rats. All three Ginger epidermal ODC, cyclooxygenase ethanolic Ginger extract and results preparations significantly reversed and lipooxygenase activities and were compared with Gemfibrozil, a cisplatin-induced delay in gastric ODC m-RNA expression in a dose standard orally effective emptying.

8 The Ginger juice and dependent manner. Pre-application hypolipidemic drug. The severity of acetone extract were more effective of Ginger extract to mouse skin also than 50% ethanolic extract. The afforded significant inhibition of reversal produced by the Ginger TPA-caused epidermal edema acetone extract was similar to that (56%) and hyperplasia (44%). caused by the 5-HT3-receptor In long-term tumours antagonist ondansteron; however, studies, topical application of GE 30. Ginger juice produce better reversal min. prior to that of each TPA. than Ondansteron. Therefore, application to 7, 12-dimethyl benz Ginger , an anti-emetic for cancer (a) anthracene-initiated SENCAR. chemotherapy, may be useful in mice resulted in a highly significant improving the gastrointestinal protection against skin tumour effects of cancer incidence and its subsequent Other studies also indicate role of multiplicity.

9 The animals pre-treated Ginger in the treatment of nausea and with Ginger showed substantially Ginger foliage lower tumour body burdens Natural Product Radiance Vol 2(6) November-December 2003 297. Article compared with non- Ginger -treated reduced the spontaneous contractile Ach and histamine, respectively, or controls. The results of this study frequency, and enhanced the produces direct muscle contraction provide clear evidence that Ginger spontaneous contractile amplitude, by activating M and HI receptors possesses anti-skin tumour- which was followed by inhibition. correspondingly. It is proposed that promoting effects, and that the Ginger juice produced after being excited by substance P, mechanism of such effects may longitudinal contraction of the M and HI receptors are inactive involve inhibition of tumour guinea-pig isolated ileum, which temporarily and unable to be excited promoter-caused cellular, was followed by rapid by agonists, therefore, Ginger juice biochemical, and molecular changes tachyphylaxis.

10 This contraction exhibits anticholinergic and in mouse skin. effect was not effected by antihistaminic action. Ginger juice hexamethonium and 5-HT, but produces antimotion sickness action Anti-viral could be inhibited by cold storage, possibly by central and peripheral hyoscine, morphine, anticholinergic and antihistaminic Rhinoviruses are among diphenhydramine, promethazine Two more studies have those viruses which cause the and substance P desensitization. confirmed the role of Ginger in the common cold therefore, the dried Naloxone could eliminate treatment of motion ,14. rhizomes of Ginger have been disinhibition produced by morphine. investigated for anti-rhino-viral By using dose-response relationship Anti-inflammatory activity in plaque reduction test.