Depression is a widespread problem in society. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that at any given time 6.7 percent of the adult population in the United States is suffering from major depression as of the time of publication. Depression affects an individual's mood, cognition and physicality. The main symptoms of the disorder are feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness and sometimes suicidal thoughts. Depression also impacts attention, memory and the ability to engage in self-care. Given the multitude of symptoms this disorder affects, researchers are constantly looking for compounds that may help.
Ginger and Depression
Chinese medicine has historically employed the use of various herbs to treat psychological conditions. In 2009 researchers at Nanjing University in the People's Republic of China used animal models to assess the effectiveness of a combination of Magnolia bark and ginger rhizome extract in treating depression. The study, which was published in the Archives of Pharmacology Research, was conducted by giving mice doses of the herb extract and putting them in stressful situations. Their behavioral and biochemical responses were then measured. The results suggest that the ginger-magnolia combination lead to calming and mimicked the serotonergic effects of antidepressant medication.
Herbs and Depression
In 2003 Chinese researchers explored how various combinations of herbs, including ginger, could provide a natural way to treat depression. Scientists at the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology studied a traditional Chinese compound called Banxia-houpu, which consists of pinellia tuber, magnolia bark, hoelen, perilla herb and ginger. Their results, which were published in the journal of "Life Sciences," revealed that rats that had ingested the Banxia-houpu compound were less affected behaviorally by stressful conditions. From this data, the researchers postulate that the biochemical changes in the rats are similar to the biochemical changes caused by antidepressant medications.
Childhood Onset Depression
In addition to impacting mood, depression also has physical effects, including back and neck pain and upset stomach. Children often report physical pain as a description of their depression because they may not have the vocabulary to adequately describe their feelings. Using this pretense, researchers at the Center for Pediatric Irritable Bowel and Motility Disorders in New Jersey reviewed case histories and literature regarding the correlation between depression and upset stomach in children. They found that, despite clinical validity for this interaction, medicinal treatments are not available. The results of their study, published in a 2007 issue of the "Current Gastroenterology Reports," suggest using herbs such as ginger to ease stomach pain and depression.
Warnings
Remember that while ginger and other herbs may show promise for treating depression, these substances are not FDA approved at the time of this publication. Research suggests that there may be some harmful drug interactions. In 2002 scientists at the Medical College of Georgia published a review in the "Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapy" stating that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, may interact negatively with herbs like ginger and increase the risk for bleeding. Check with a doctor before deciding to add any compounds to a medication regimen.
References
- "Archives of Pharmacology Research"; Combined Administration of the Mixture of Honokiol and Magnolol and Ginger Oil ... ; L.Q. Quang, et al. ; 2009
- "Life Science"; Behavioral and Biochemical Studies on Chronic Mild Stress Models in Rats Treated with a Chinese Traditional Prescription Banxia-houpu Decoction; J.M. Li, et al.; 2003
- "Current Gastroenterology Reports;" Dyspepsia in Childhood and Adolescence ... ; M.E. Perez; 2007
- "Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapy"; Herbal Medication ... ; W. Abebe; 2002
