LUYA/GINGER

        
English: Ginger
Common name: Luya,African,Ginger,Chiang,Ardraka,Angay (Pamp.) kunik (Ibn.) Curcuma xanthorrhiza Naves Dilaw (Tag.) Lampuyang (P. Bis.) Dulaw (S.L. Bis.) Lawag (Sub.) Kalabaga (Bis.) Luyang-dilaw (Tag.) Kalawag (Mbo., Bis.) Pangar (Pamp.) Kalauag (Mbo., Bis.) Pangas (Pamp.) Kinamboy (Bis.) Parak (Kuy.) Kinamboi (Bis.) Salampawyan (Bag.) Kulalo (Bis.) Salampauyan (Bag.) Kulyaw (Ilk.) Turmeric Kunig (Ilk.) Yu-chin (Chin.) Long tumeric (Engl.)

Scientific name: Zingiber officinale

Luya is an erect, smooth plant arising from thickened, very aromatic rootstocks. Leafy stems are 0.4 to 1 meter high. Leaves are distichous, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 15 to 25 centimeters long, and 2 centimeters wide or less. Scape arising from the rootstocks is erect, 15 to 25 centimeters high, and covered with distant, imbricate bracts. Spike is ovoid to ellipsoid, about 5 centimeters long. Bracts are ovate, cuspidate, about 2.5 centimeters long, and pale green. Calyx is 1 centimeter long or somewhat less. Corolla is greenish yellow, and its tube is less than 2 centimeters long, while the lip is oblong-obovate and slightly purplish

Ginger/luya is a herb but is often known as a spice, with a strong distinct flavor that can increase the production of saliva. The part that is used as spice on the plant itself is the rhizomes or ginger root. This ginger root is traditionally used with sweet foods in Western cuisine being included in popular recipes such as ginger ale, ginger snaps, gingerbread, ginger biscuits and ginger cake. It is also used in many countries as a medicinal ingredient which many believe in. Some say it can help cure diabetes, head aches, colds, fatigue, nausea and the flu when used in tea or food.

The ginger root is not actually a root, but a rhizome. The major producers of Ginger today are China and tropical/subtropical places in Asia, Brazil, Jamaica, Nigeria. The health benefits of honey and ginger in treating respiratory problems are unmatched by any other concoction. The ginger plant is approximately 30 - 60 cm tall and is extremely rare to find in the wild. Even today Ginger is one of the most important spices world wide

Medicinal properties of ginger:

·  antiemetic/antinausea       ·  anticlotting agent     ·  antispasmodic

·  antifungal·  antitussive·  analgesic·  circulatory stimulant·  carminative

·  expectorant·  hypotensive·  increases blood flow

·  promotes sweating·  relaxes peripheral blood vessels

Common Remedies using Ginger:

Ginger has many uses in the home remedies department and can be used to help arthritis, diarrhea, flu, headache, heart and menstrual problems, diabetes, stomach upset and motion sickness.

Muscle Strains - Apply warm ginger paste with turmeric to the affected area twice a day.

Sore Throat - Boil some water and add a dash of cinnamon, a little piece of ginger, 1 tsp honey and drink

For a persistent cough - Take a half teaspoonful of ginger powder, a pinch of clove with a pinch of cinnamon powder and honey in a cup of boiled water and drink it as tea.

Ashma - A teaspoon of fresh ginger juice mixed with a cup of fenugreek decoction and honey to taste acts as a excellent expectorant in the treatment of asthma.

Headaches - Dilute a paste of ginger powder, about 1/2 a teaspoon, with water and apply to you forehead

Colds - Boil a teaspoonful of ginger powder in one quart of water and inhale the steam - helps alleviate colds.

Ginger Compress - This method stimulates blood and body fluid circulation, helps loosen and dissolve toxic matter eg. cysts, tumors. Place about a handful of coarsely grated ginger in a cloth and squeeze out the ginger juice into a pot containing 4 liters of hot water (do not boil the water). Dip a towel into the ginger water and wring it out. Apply very hot to the affected area. 

Diabetes - Some doctors recommend some drinking ginger in water first thing in the morning to help regulate your glucose level. 

Ginger Tea - Make with fresh ginger root. Grate a small piece of ginger, about the size of a nickel, into a mug. Add the juice of a half a lemon. Fill the mug with boiling water. Stir in a teaspoon of organic honey. 

For relief of nausea - Ginger is generally taken in doses of 200 mg every 4 hours. 

For relief of flatulence - Ginger is generally taken in doses of 250 to 500 mg 2 to 3 times a day.

 Pharmacological Activity

The ginger rhizome is a widely used culinary spice. The relative safety of ginger and the availability of randomized clinical trials in humans render data from animal trials largely irrelevant.

Cancer
Antitumor activity of ginger and its constituents has been demonstrated in several in vitro and animal experiments. Apoptotic cell death and antiproliferative effects caused by gingerol, paradol, shogaol, essential oil of ginger, and dried homogenized ginger have been demonstrated in mice and human cell lines.No human trials with the use of ginger in cancer have been published.

Nausea

Human clinical trials have examined ginger's antiemetic effects related to motion sickness, postoperative and pregnancy–related nausea, and other causes. The mechanism of action by which ginger might exert effects is still unclear. Animal studies have described enhanced GI transport, anti-5-hydroxytryptamine, and possible CNS antiemetic effects. Human experiments to determine the mechanism of action show varying results regarding gastric motility and corpus motor response.

Chemotherapy-related nausea

A trend toward effectiveness has been demonstrated in a limited number of trials in chemotherapy-related nausea, whereas others have found no effect with the addition of ginger to standard antiemetic regimens. A case report describes a reduction in disequilibrium and nausea associated with abrupt discontinuation or intermittent noncompliance with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (1 g of ginger given 3 times daily).

Motion sickness

Results from the limited published studies are equivocal, with 3 of 7 trials reporting ginger root effective as a preventative or in treatment. The remaining 4 trials found no benefit over the comparator/placebo. Doses ranged from 250 mg to 2 g in 1 trial, with no greater effectiveness for 2 g over the 1 g dose.

Postoperative nausea

Results from published trials and meta-analyses are equivocal. Limitations of meta-analyses include the lack of comparators, the heterogenous study populations, and surgical procedures, In a meta-analysis of 5 randomized clinical trials investigating the efficacy of ginger in postoperative nausea, 1 g of ginger was more effective than placebo (relative risk, 0.69; confidence interval, 0.54 to 0.89). Other reviews and meta-analyses (some including trials excluded by others) did not find ginger useful in the postoperative setting; the numbers needed for effect range from 11 to 25.

Pregnancy-related nausea

In a Cochrane meta-analysis, only 1 trial using ginger met inclusion criteria. The majority of women in this crossover trial (n = 70) preferred using ginger to placebo. A 2005 review of 6 quality trials found ginger to be superior to placebo in 4 trials and comparable with vitamin B6 in 2 trials. Little information on fetal outcomes has been published in relation to clinical trials investigating the use of ginger in pregnancy.

Inhibition of platelet aggregation

Studies from animal models are inconclusive, but experiments with different ginger extracts have suggested an antiaggregation effect. Results in human experiments are equally inconclusive. Ginger has demonstrated an inhibitory effect as well as no effect on platelet aggregation at recommended daily doses (less than 5 g).

Osteoarthritis

Trials exploring the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects of ginger have provided mixed results, with the majority of trials showing a trend toward pain relief greater than placebo but less than traditional anti-inflammatory drugs. Several trials have methodological flaws, including sponsorship by ginger-manufacturing companies. Mechanisms of action have been proposed and include inhibition of prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis.

Diabetes medications -- Ginger may lower blood sugar. That can raise the risk of developing hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.

High blood pressure medications -- Ginger may lower blood pressure, raising the risk of low blood pressure or irregular heartbeat.

 Interaction with medication

Major

>Nifedipine
Taking ginger along with nifedipne might slow blood clotting and increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Moderate

>Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)

Ginger might slow blood clotting. Taking ginger along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

Minor

>Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)

Ginger might increase how much cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) the body absorbs. Taking ginger along with cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) might increase the side effects of cyclosporine.

Releted studies

>Gingerol, a pungent ingredient of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae), has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor-promoting activities. Here, we describe its novel anti-angiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, gingerol inhibited both the VEGF- and bFGF-induced proliferation of human endothelial cells and caused cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. It also blocked capillary-like tube formation by endothelial cells in response to VEGF, and strongly inhibited sprouting of endothelial cells in the rat aorta and formation of new blood vessel in the mouse cornea in response to VEGF. Moreover, i.p. administration, without reaching tumor cytotoxic blood levels, to mice receiving i.v. injection of B16F10 melanoma cells, reduced the number of lung metastasis, with preservation of apparently healthy behavior.Taken together, these results demonstrate that gingerol inhibits angiogenesis and may be useful in the treatment of tumors and other angiogenesis-dependent diseases
>In the present study, the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of gingerol, which is the pungent constituent of ginger, were performed. Intraperitoneal administration of gingerol (25 mg/kg-50 mg/kg) produced an inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing response and formalin-induced licking time in the late phase. Gingerol (50 mg/kg-100 mg/kg) also produced an inhibition of paw edema induced by carrageenin. These results suggested that gingerol possessed analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.

Toxicology

>Toxicologic information regarding use in humans is lacking. The acute oral lethal dose 50 of ginger oil has been estimated to be more than 5 g/kg of body weight in rats. Teratogenicity studies reported that rat fetuses exposed to high-dose ginger tea were heavier and had more advanced skeletal development than controls. Embryonic loss was greater in the treatment group. In another similar study with different types of rats, no teratogenicity was observed. Some ginger compounds have shown mutagenicity.

>Multidrug resistant opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces surface-associated communities called biofilms, which protect pathogen by forming a complex permeability barrier for antibiotics and immune cells. Biofilm formation contributes to persistent and chronic infections caused by P.aeruginosa. Extensive use of antibiotics to treat biofilm associated infections has culminated in the emergence of multiple drug-resistant strains. Hence novel strategies are urgently required to address this issue. Since phytochemicals are valuable source of antibacterial agents, these can be explored for antibiofilm activity. Therefore, the present study was planned to evaluate the inhibition of biofilm formation in presence of zingerone alone and its ability to increase the susceptibility of the pathogen to ciprofloxacin. Scanning electron microscopy of catheter surface showed thinner biofilm of P.aeruginosa in presence of zingerone. Evaluation of motility phenotypes indicated significant reduction (p < 0.05) in swimming, swarming and twitching motility. Further, biofilm was inhibited and eradicated in presence of zingerone alone and in combination with ciprofloxacin. Highly significant inhibition (p < 0.001) was observed when phytochemical and antibiotic were used as adjunct therapy. These findings prove zingerone as potential phytotherapeutic agent which in future can be employed to formulate preventive strategies against biofilm associated infections caused by P.aeruginosa.

Reference/Source

 1. http://www.stuartxchange.org/Luya.html

2. http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/ginger.shtml

3. http://www.drugs.com/npp/ginger.html

4. http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/ginger.shtml

5. Zingerone inhibit biofilm formation and improve antibiofilm efficacy of ciprofloxacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.Kumar L¹, Chhibber S, Harjai K.Fitoterapia.2013 Oct;90:73-8. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2013.06.017. Epub 2013 Jul 4.

6. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger/ Ginger | University of Maryland Medical Center © 2014 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC).http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger#ixzz38QxU2AxX
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Ginger--an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions.Grzanna R, Lindmark L, Frondoza CG.RMG Biosciences, Inc.
J Med Food. 2005 Summer;8(2):125-32.

7. Cancer Research

Gingerol, a pungent ingredient of ginger, inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo.
Kim EC, Min JK, Kim TY, Lee SJ, Yang HO, Han S, Kim YM, Kwon YG.
Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Yonsei University,Seoul, Republic of Korea. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Sep 23;335(2):300-8.

8. Gingerol http://jivaresearch.org/Ginger.phpGinger--an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inhibits COX-2 expression by blocking the activation of p38 MAP kinase and NF-kappaB in phorbol ester-stimulated mouse skin.
Kim SO, Kundu JK, Shin YK, Park JH, Cho MH, Kim TY, Surh YJ.
College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, South Korea.
Oncogene. 2005 Apr 7;24(15):2558-67

9. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/961.html#DrugInteractions/ Copyright © 1995 - 2013 Therapeutic Research Faculty, publishers of Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Prescriber’s Letter, Pharmacist’s Letter. All rights reserved. For scientific data on natural medicines, professionals may consult the Professional Version of Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database.

10. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide By:  Rosemary  Gladstar 

11.Botanical.com A Modern Herbal by: Mrs. M. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/ginger13.html

                                                                             Compiled by: Candelario, Jullen D. BSPharmacy 1