Posted 3/16/07 |
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| NAME: | Ginger (Zingiber officinale) |
 Zingiber officinale flower |
| DESCRIPTION: | Botanical
Ginger is the underground stem, or rhizome, of the plant Zingiber officinale, and has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. Native to Asia, ginger grows in fertile, moist, tropical soil. |
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| FUNCTION: | Volatile oils, resins, lignins, sulfur, pungent phenol compounds (such as gingerols and shogaols) and other constituents give it the ability to aid digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, nausea, appetite loss, and headaches.
It used to treat the common cold, and alleviete various flu-like symptoms. |
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| SOURCES: | Ginger supplements are made from fresh or dried ginger root, or from steam distillation of the oil in the root.
A tea may be made from the fresh root, infusing about half an ounce of bruised or powdered root per pint of boiling water. |
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| DOSAGE: | For most purposes, the standard dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided up into 2 to 4 doses per day.t
Many publications note that the maximum recommended daily dose of ginger is 4 grams. high doses may damage the stomach lining and lead to ulcers. |
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| DATA: | In one recent clinical trial among surgery patients, it proved more effective than the prescription drug Reglan in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting.
A large double blind study (more than 250 participants) found that a combination of ginger and galanga (Alpinia galanga) can significantly improve arthritis symptoms. 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. |
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| CAUTIONS: | Since extracts of ginger inhibit blood coagulation in test tube experiments, it is not recommended for: those with hemophilia or platelet disorders, those about to undergo surgery, or those taking any blood thinners. | |
| FOR MORE INFORMATION: |
Brigham Women's/Faulkner Hospitals' website's entry on ginger. | |
| RELATED PRODUCTS: |
Ginger (Jarrow Formulas) Each bottle, 100 capsules. Each capsule, 500 mg of 6:1 concentrated, freeze-dried ginger. | |
| PRODUCT NOTES: | Freeze-drying ginger ensures the presence of the active compounds that are beneficial to the gastrointestinal tract, which would be destroyed if heated. | |
| DISCLAIMER: | These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. | |
