Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in rheumatism and musculoskeletal disorders.

March 2, 2004

Med Hypotheses. 1992 Dec;39(4):342-8.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in rheumatism and musculoskeletal

disorders.

Srivastava KC, Mustafa T.

Department of Environmental Medicine, Odense University, Denmark.

One of the features of inflammation is increased oxygenation of

arachidonic acid which is metabolized by two enzymic pathways--the

cyclooxygenase (CO) and the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO)--leading to the production

of prostaglandins and leukotrienes respectively. Amongst the CO products,

PGE2 and amongst the 5-LO products, LTB4 are considered important mediators

of inflammation. More than 200 potential drugs ranging from non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, gold salts, disease modifying

anti-rheumatic drugs, methotrexate, cyclosporine are being tested. None of

the drugs has been found safe; all are known to produce from mild to serious

side-effects. Ginger is described in Ayurvedic and Tibb systems of medicine

to be useful in inflammation and rheumatism. In all 56 patients (28 with

rheumatoid arthritis, 18 with osteoarthritis and 10 with muscular

discomfort) used powdered ginger against their afflictions. Amongst the

arthritis patients more than three-quarters experienced, to varying degrees,

relief in pain and swelling. All the patients with muscular discomfort

experienced relief in pain. None of the patients reported adverse effects

during the period of ginger consumption which ranged from 3 months to 2.5

years. It is suggested that at least one of the mechanisms by which ginger

shows its ameliorative effects could be related to inhibition of

prostaglandin and leukotriene biosynthesis, i.e. it works as a dual

inhibitor of eicosanoid biosynthesis.

PMID: 1494322 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

_uids=1494322 & dopt=Abstract

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