The roots of the ginger plant, botanically known as Zingiber Officinale Roscoe, are commonly used as a spice. Ginger extracts and powders contain the biologically active oils monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, and the antioxidants gingerols and shogaols. Results from animal studies suggest ginger reduces blood pressure and clot formation, lowers cholesterol, has anti-inflammatory actions and reduces atherosclerotic plaque formation. The majority of these effects have not yet been confirmed in human studies.
Blood Pressure
According to a study in the October 2005 issue of "Vascular Pharmacology," ginger extracts reduce blood pressure in rats. The anti-hypertensive actions of ginger have not been validated in human studies.
Clotting
Blood clots block arteries and can seriously impair blood flow, leading to cardiac arrest or stroke. A study in the May 1997 issue of "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids" reports that an acute dose of 10 g of powdered ginger reduced blood clotting in patients with heart disease. A lower dose of 4 g powdered ginger administered for three months had no effects on blood clotting in these patients.
Cholesterol
High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for heart disease. Results of a study in the May 2000 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition" provide evidence that ginger significantly decreases circulating lipids and cholesterol in mice. The only study in humans that has evaluated the lipid- and cholesterol-lowering effects of ginger was published in the September 2008 issue of the "Saudi Medical Journal." In this study, administration of 3 g of ginger per day for 45 days decreased circulating lipids and cholesterol.
Atherosclerotic Lesions
Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaques containing cholesterol and fat build up in arterial vessels. The plaque buildup elicits a chronic inflammatory response that injures the blood vessel. Atherosclerosis is often present in patients with heart disease. A study in the May 2000 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition" says that 250 mcg of ginger per day for 10 weeks decreased plaque formation in arteries of mice.
Anti-Inflammatory
An article in a 2003 issue of "Alternative Medicine Review" notes that ginger demonstrated anti-inflammatory actions in laboratory experiments conducted in cells. In an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis, ginger extracts reduced inflammation, according to a study in the March 2009 issue of "Journal of Natural Products." Although ginger is used often in other countries for the treatment of inflammatory disorders, the therapeutic benefits of ginger for the treatment of inflammatory disorders have not been scientifically investigated.
References
- "Alternative Medicine Review"; Zingiber officinale (Ginger); 2003
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Ginger Extract Consumption Reduces Plasma Cholesterol, Inhibits LDL Oxidation and Attenuates Development of Atherosclerosis in Atherosclerotic, Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice; Bianca Fuhrman et al.; May 2000
- Pubmed: Effect of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) and Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum L.) on Blood Lipids, Blood Sugar and Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
- Pubmed: Cardiovascular Effects of Ginger Aqueous Extract and its Phenolic Constituents are Mediated through Multiple Pathways
- Pubmed: Investigation of the Effect of Ginger on the Lipid Levels. A Double Blind Controlled Clinical Trial
- "Journal of Natural Products"; Comparative Effects of Two Gingerol-Containing Zingiber officinale Extracts on Experimental Rheumatoid Arthritis; Janet L. Funk et al.; March 2009
