Therapeutic Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is a root that grows in warm climates such as India, Jamaica and China. You may add its zest to your cooking, or use it as a medicinal treatment. You may have seen it marketed as a remedy for nausea due to morning sickness, motion sickness or surgery. It is also used to treat pain from menstrual cramps, inflammatory conditions and migraine headaches. You can purchase ginger in fresh, dried, and extract forms.

Mechanism of Action

Past beliefs suggested ginger increased gastrointestinal transit time, but according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database that is now known not to be true. Ginger targets serotonin receptors in the ileum, which is the third part of the small intestine. These receptors are the same receptors that anti-nausea medications work on. In relation to pain, ginger is a treatment option since it may inhibit the synthesis of hormones that increase inflammation and feelings of pain.

Nausea and Vomiting

A 2007 randomized controlled study published in the "Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand" and conducted on pregnant women experiencing morning sickness found that ginger extract reduced the intensity of nausea and vomiting but it took longer to work when compared with medication. Ginger intake may have side effects during pregnancy and its use must be cleared with a physician first. A systematic review published in the "British Journal of Anesthesiology" reported that ginger was better than placebo and just as effective as metoclopramide as a treatment for postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Pain

In a 2009 clinical study published in the "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine", researchers compared ginger extract with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication as a treatment for dysmenorrhea. Women received 250 milligrams of ginger extract four times per day for three days at the onset of their menstrual period. Ginger was found to be comparable as over-the-counter non steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for reducing pain.

Further Research

The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database concluded that ginger intake of 500 to 1000 milligrams for up to four hours before travel does not improve motion sickness. There is limited research in this area. Patients who are receiving chemotherapy and are experiencing nausea and vomiting may or may not benefit from treatment with ginger. Further research is still needed on ginger's effects on rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, joint pain, myalgia, as well as its effects on severity and duration on migraine headaches.