In my last
post, I talked about the many great benefits of Ginger in skincare and ended up
getting myself all wind up about this herb.
Luckily, I was able to find this review article on PubMed, titled “Anti-Oxidative
and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ginger in Health and Physical Activity: Review
of Current Evidence”. Here is the link
to the article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/
And here is a summary of the article and Ginger’s health
benefits:
Herbal origin: Ginger
(Zingiber officinale Rosc.) belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. It originated
in South-East Asia and used in many countries as a spice and condiment to add
flavor to food. In addition, ginger
roots have been used extensively in traditional herbal medicine.
Chemical compositions: Chemical
compositions in fresh ginger are grouped into two categories: volatiles and
non-volatiles. Volatiles include sesquiterpene and monoterpenoid
hydrocarbons. These compounds provide
the distinct aroma and taste of ginger. Non-volatile compounds include
gingerols, shogaols, paradols, and zingerone.
These counpounds provide the pungent taste of ginger.
Medicinal applications: Ginger has been included in herbal medicine formulations for treating degenerative disorders (arthritis and rheumatism), digestive health (indigestion, constipation and ulcer), cardiovascular disorders (atherosclerosis and hypertension), vomiting, diabetes mellitus, cancer, inflammatory disorders such as gastritis, esophagitis, and hepatitis, and of course for preventing or delaying aging.
Pharmacological activities: Ginger has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-oxidative properties.
-
Anti-oxidative stress effects: The anti-oxidative properties of ginger and
its components have been explored in various in vitro
and in vivo tests. Rat
studies showed that ginger has an equal antioxidant effect to that of ascorbic
acid (Vitamin C). 6-Shogaol has
exhibited the most potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in
ginger, which can be attributed to the presence of alpha, beta-unsaturated
ketone moiety. Animal modeling showed that ginger significantly lowered induced
lipid peroxidation and raised the levels of antioxidant enzymes, together with
serum glutathione. Furthermore, feeding
ginger to rats at 1% w/w during administration of malathion (20 ppm) for 4
weeks significantly attenuated malathion-induced lipid peroxidation. Concomitant dietary feeding of ginger (1%w/w)
significantly attenuated lindane-induced lipid peroxidation, reduced
glutathione (GSH), and the GSH-dependent enzymes glutathione peroxidase,
glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase. In vitro, zingerone scavenged O2-
and OH and suppressed lipid peroxidation, so it can possibly value in treatment
of Parkinson's disease.
-
Anti-inflammatory
effects: Ginger is believed to strengthen immune
system. Gingerol, shogaol, and other
structurally-related substances in ginger inhibit prostaglandin and leukotriene
biosynthesis through suppression of 5-lipoxygenase or prostaglandin synthetase.
Additionally, they can also inhibit synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines
such as IL-1, TNF-α, and IL-8. Another
investigation showed that in macrophages, shogaol can down-regulate
inflammatory iNOS and COX-2 gene expression. In addition, rhizome hexane fraction extract
of Z. officinale
inhibited the excessive production of NO, PGE (2), TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta. Because of potent compounds in ginger rhizome
for inhibiting allergic reactions, it may be useful for the treatment and
prevention of allergic diseases.
-
Anti-cancer
effects: Ingredients like [6]-gingerol,[6]-shogaol,
[6]-paradol, and zerumbone in ginger exhibits anti-inflammatory and
antitumorigenic activities. Ginger and
its bioactive molecules are effective in controlling the extent of colorectal,
gastric, ovarian, liver, skin, breast, and prostate cancers.
-
Anti-diabetic
effects: Some research studies have proved the
effectiveness of ginger against diabetes and its complications. Ginger extract with a high content of
gingerols and shogaols did not induce significant changes in blood glucose,
blood coagulation, blood pressure, and heart rate in rat models. However, ginger significantly lowered blood
glucose, serum total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, and triglycerides, and raised HDL
in hyperglycemic rats, in models that are diabetic, deficient in the
apolipoprotein E gene or those that have been fed a high lipid diet. For
example, Bhandari et al.
showed that ethanolic extract of Zingiber
officinale fed orally for 20 days produced a significant
antihyperglycaemic effect (P
< 0.01) in diabetic rats. Additionally,
Nammi et al. indicated that
the ethanolic extract of ginger reduced body weights and levels of glucose,
insulin, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids,
and phospholipids in high-fat diets. Heimes et al.
supported from this hypoglycemic potential too.
Now, I hope that I’ve gotten you wind up on the
greatness of ginger too. Start drinking ginger tea (with honey),
sprinkle ginger into your soups and dishes, and of course incorporating this
nature given miracle into your skin care regime.
Thanks for reading.
Connie
Comments
Post a Comment