Potential health benefits and scientific review of ginger

Abstract

Ginger has been known for its several scientific properties and valued for the last 2500 years in different parts of the globe. Ginger has rich phytochemistry and several health promoting perspectives. In ginger family, Zingiber officinalis is one of most widely used species and it is found in several foods and beverages. Ginger has been used commonly to treat diarrhea, stomach upset, indigestion and nausea. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ginger constituents are 80% moisture, 2% protein, 2% fiber, 1% mineral, 0.9% fat, and 12% carbohydrate. The chemistry of ginger is well documented with the respect to the oleoresin and volatile oil. It is concluded that, ginger has potential to treat numerous disorders including cancer due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It is also useful in controlling the process of aging. This scientific review favors ginger due to its rich phytochemistry; however, due to some ambiguities, it is recommended to conduct clinical trials of ginger with sound protocol design before claiming its efficacy.   Key words: Ginger, Zingiber officinalis, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant.