Ginger root, native to Asia, India and China, is a pungent, sweet and warming herb with a long history of culinary and medicinal use. Spanish explorers brought ginger to the west, in an effort to grow it closer to Europe to decrease its cost. Ginger is often used to alleviate digestive disorders such as nausea and indigestion. Some of its properties might also relieve seasonal allergy symptoms.
Immune Stimulant
Ginger essential oil improves immune function by stimulating the component of your immune system that produces antibodies to pathogens and foreign substances, according to a study published in the July 2009 issue of the "Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology." In the laboratory animal study, supplementation with ginger oil for one week brought immune function up to normal in immune-suppressed animals. Supporting your immune system in this way can improve its ability to correctly identify harmful substances and decrease allergic responses. In the same study, clove oil improved white blood cell counts, but sage oil did not show any immune benefits. Further studies on humans is warranted to confirm these preliminary results.
Gingerol
French researchers reported that ginger reduced airway inflammation in laboratory animals, in a study published in the December 2008 issue of the journal "International Immunopharmacology." Injections of ginger extract resulted in significant decreases in levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell associated with allergies. The protective effect occurred particularly in the lungs, implying that ginger potentially decreases respiratory symptoms associated with seasonal allergies, such as constricted breathing, wheezing and coughing. Researchers concluded that gingerol, the primary active compound in ginger, was responsible for the benefits.
Anti-Inflammatory
Ginger is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent that can help clear up chronic inflammation, according to Mark A. Goldstein, M.D., author of the book "Healthy Foods: Fact Versus Fiction." Its anti-inflammatory effects make it useful for reducing the severity of inflammation associated with arthritis, allergies and other chronic conditions. Ginger works, in part, by inhibiting platelet-activating factor, one of the immune system components that provoke allergies and asthma, according to nutritionist Phyllis Balch in her book "Prescription for Herbal Healing."
Considerations
Excessive exposure to ginger might cause an allergic response in some people, according to a study published in the April 2007 issue of the "International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology." A type of ginger known as mioga caused dermatitis in eight out of 35 greenhouse workers, some of whom tested positive for allergy to the ginger variety. Ginger might also interfere with some medications, including the blood thinner warfarin. Consult your doctor before using ginger to treat a medical condition.
References
- "Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology"; Immunomodulatory Activity of Zingiber Officinale Roscoe, Salvia Officinalis L. and Syzygium Aromaticum L. Essential Oils: Evidence for Humor- and Cell-mediated Responses; F. Carrasco, et al.; July 2009
- "International Immunopharmacology"; Ginger Prevents Th2-mediated Immune Responses in a Mouse Model of Airway Inflammation; M. Ahui, et al.; December 2008
- "International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology"; Occupational Allergic Contact Dermatitis from Mioga (Zingiber Mioga Rosc.) in Greenhouse Cultivators; K. Minamoto, et al.; April 2007
- "Healthy Foods: Fact Versus Fiction"; Myrna Chandler Goldstein, Mark A. Goldstein; 2010
- "Prescription for Herbal Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch; 2002
- "The Condensed Encyclopedia of Healing Foods"; Michael T. Murray, et al.; 2008
