Zingiber officinale is an erect perennial with thick tuberous rhizomes, native of southern Asia, but now extensively cultivated in the tropics, in India, China, Haiti and Nigeria, with Jamaica as the major producer. The principal active ingredients are volatile oils and various pungent ketones. The essential aromatic oils are sesquiterpenes like bisaboline, borneol, camphene, geranial, linalool, zingiberene, zingiberol etc, and the pungent compounds are phenylalkylketones such as gingerols, shogaols and zingerone. The use of ginger as spice is too well known to require emphasis here.
- Anticoagulant, etc. The pungent compound gingerol was found to have a similar structure to the well known anticoagulent, aspirin. Recent studies show that aside from lowering cholesterol, gingerol can also reduce blood clotting. Ginger is also a very effective antibiotic and a powerful antioxidant.
- Antinausea. Several studies show that ginger can relieve nausea, which accounts for its common use in the prevention and treatment of motion sickness, but also of morning sickness during pregnancy.
- Cardiotonic. Gingerol has shown potent cardiotonic activity as a result of increasing the uptake of calcium by the heart muscle. Here the use of the fresh rhizome as against the dried preparation is advocated, because gingerol is found mainly in fresh ginger, while shogaol responsible for elevating blood pressure is rarely found in the fresh rhizome.
- Cholesterol reducer. Ginger significantly reduces serum and liver cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol absorption, while at the same time promoting the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. Further, ginger is known to increase bile secretions. Thus ginger has a twofold effect on cholesterol reduction: stimulating its excretion, and at the same time reducing its absorption.
- Circulatory stimulant. Research has shown that the rhizome can increase body temperature through a thermogenic effect and necessarily the metabolic rate, thus significantly increasing blood flow, but also the rate of burning metabolic fuels.
- Digestive tonic. Ginger possesses the capacity to improve gastric movement, while simultaneously exert antispasmodic effects on the smooth muscle of the digestive tract. The combination possesses significant potential in relieving indigestion, gas, bloating, and the general symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Expectorant. The rhizome is also known for its expectorant action on the upper respiratory tract, suppressing coughs, and stimulating the release of mucus and phlegm.
- Flu balm. Ginger tea has long been a standard remedy for colds, the flu, and sore throats. Ginger’s thermogenic effect of increasing blood circulation and producing profuse sweating, is also helpful for colds and low grade fevers.