Botanical Index No. 449

Ginger

zingiber officinale

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, Antidepressant, Antiedemic activity, Antiprostaglandin, Antipyretic, Antitussive, Antiulcer, Carminative, Hepatoprotective, Hypotensive, Antiviral, Anxiolytic, Arrhythmigenic, Astringent, Candidicide, Cardiotonic, Cholagogue, Choleretic, Circulostimulant, CNS Depressant, COX-2 Inhibitor, Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor, Diaphoretic, Decongestant, Detoxicant, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Fungicide, Gastroirritant, Gastroprotective, Gastrotonic, Hypertensive, Hypocholesterolemic, Hypoglycemic, Immunostimulant, Lactagogue, Lipolytic, Lipoxygenase Inhibitor, Molluscicide, Mutagenic, Myorelaxant, Nematicide, Ovicide, Parasiticide, Peristaltic, Positive Inotropic, Proteolytic, Respirastimulant, Schistosomicide, Secretagogue, Sialagogue, Stimulant, Stomachic, Thermogenic, Thromboxane-Synthetase Inhibitor, Tonic, Vasomotor Stimulant, Colic, Elephantiasis, Antiaggregant, Antialcoholic, Antiallergic, Antibacterial, Anticarcinogenic, Anticathartic, Anticholinergic, Anticonvulsant, Antidote, Antiedemic, Antiemetic, Antiemmenagogue, Antihistaminic, Antiinflammatory, Antileukotriene, Antilipidemic, Antimutagenic, Antinarcotic, Antinauseant, Antioxidant, Antirhinoviral, Antisecretory, Antiseptic, Antiserotoninergic, Antispasmodic, Antithrombic, Antithromboxane

Primary Conditions Treated

Alcohol withdrawal Combat excessive motion Combat improper chewing Combat the effects of overeating Complications of liver damage Impotence Increase gastric motility Kinetosis Neutralize acids and toxins in the digestive tract Postoperative nausea and vomiting Preventing aging penile vascular changes Reduces serum glucose levels Rheumatism Salmonella Schistosomiasis Seasickness Snakebite Sore Throat Splenosis Staphylococcus Stomachache Stomatosis Streptococcus Stroke Stimulate digestion Suppress gastric contractions Swelling Thirst Thrombocytosis Toothache Treating a side effect of alcoholism Trichomoniasis Ulcer Vaginosis Vertigo Virus Vitiligo Vomiting Worm Yeast Aperitif Aphrodisiac Pressor Sternutator Syncope Thrombosis Vermifuge Adenopathy Aging Alcoholism Allergy Alopecia Alzheimer’s Anemia Anorexia Anxiety Arthrosis Ascites Asthma Atherosclerosis Backache Bacteria Bite Bleeding Blister Boil Borborygmus Bronchosis Bruise Burn Cancer Candida Cardiopathy Cataract Catarrh Chemotherapy Chest Cold Childbirth Cholera Cold Congestion Convulsion Corneosis Cough Cramp Dandruff Depression Diabetes Diarrhea Dizziness Dropsy Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Dyspnea Earache Edema Enterosis Epigastrosis Epistaxis Escherichia Fever Flu Fungus Gas Gastrosis Headache Head Cold Hemorrhoid Hepatosis High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol Hoarseness Hyperemesis Immunodepression Infection Infertility Inflammation Insomnia Kawasaki Disease Low Blood Pressure Lumbago Malaria Marasmus Migraine Morning Sickness Motion Sickness Myalgia Mycosis Nausea Nephrosis Neuralgia Neurasthenia Obesity Opacity Ophthalmia Osteoarthrosis Pain Palpitation Parasite Pharyngosis Postoperative Nausea Pyrexia Raynaud’s Syndrome araceae mushroom seafood poisoning

General Dosage

3–10 g fresh ginger, or 2–4 g dry ginger, 1–3 ×/day; 0.3–1.5 g rhizome several ×/day; 500–1000 mg fresh root 3 ×/day; 2–4 tbsp fresh root; 3–6 g dry root; 4.5 g dry root:22 ml alcohol/23 ml water; 500 mg dry root 2–4 ×/day; 0.3–1 g powdered root; 2 tsp powdered root/cup water; 0.25–1.0 g herb, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 0.7–2 ml liquid extract/day; 0.25–3 ml herbal tincture; 0.25–3 ml tincture; 1.7–5 ml tincture/day; 1.5–9 g/day; 2–4 g/day; 500 mg tablet 2–4 ×/day; 3 capsules 3 ×/day; 1 StX 2 ×/day; 15–60 mg ginger oleoresin; 2.5–5 ml ginger syrup. 3–10 g fresh ginger, or 2–4 g dry ginger, 1–3 ×/day; 0.3–1.5 g rhizome several ×/day; 500–1000 mg fresh root 3 ×/day; 2–4 tbsp fresh root; 3–6 g dry root; 4.5 g dry root:22 ml alcohol/23 ml water; 500 mg dry root 2–4 ×/day

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b, 2d.“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. Perhaps erring on the side of caution, Reichert cautions that ginger may raise the blood pressure, may amplify blood-thinning drug activities, and might be contraindicated in pregnancy. Contraindicated in childhood fevers and gallstones. Patients with gallstones should consult a practitioner before taking ginger. The Lawrence Review says overdoses may cause cardiac arrhythmias and CNS depression. Large doses possibly gastroirritant, causing a significant increase in exfoliation of gastric surface epithelial cells in human volunteers. Due to ginger’s strong antiaggregant activity, experts recommend it not be used by people with blood clotting disorders. Many chemotherapy patients experience periods when their blood platelet counts drop dramatically. Doctors will warn patients to avoid aspirin when their platelet counts are low. They feel that patients should also avoid ginger when their platelet count drops, while continuing use of ginger for patients with normal platelet counts. Less conservatively, Commission E reports rhizome should not be used for vomiting in pregnancy. Lininger et al. adds heartburn as a rare side effect. “A doctor should be informed if ginger is used before surgery to counteract possible postanesthesia nausea”.

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