IF you want to embrace ginger because you like the taste, go ahead, but there is evidence that it prevents colon and prostate cancer, bacteria-induced diarrhea, stop stomach ache and vomiting from chemotherapy as well as relief morning sickness.Experts reporting a novel finding that oral consumption of ginger support good health indicated that its chemical constituents may play a role in reducing inflammation in the colon, possibly reducing the risks of developing colorectal cancer.Colorectal cancer is eliciting concern in developing countries, especially the tropics, due to an increase in its incidence. The Ibadan cancer registry in Nigeria showed that four decades ago the top five cancers in men did not include colorectal cancer. But in the last decade, cancers of the colon and rectum moved from the tenth to the fourth position, with between three to five patients with confirmed colon or rectal cancer at any given week at University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan ward.Writing in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, researchers reported newly that regular consumption of ginger root or its supplements could reduce the risk of colon cancer based on the findings of their study which revealed that people who took ginger supplements experienced a 28 per cent decrease in colon inflammation ' an important precursor to colon cancer ' compared to those who only took dummy pills.Given the finding of this study that ginger supplements reduced markers of colon inflammation in a select group of patients, they suggested that this supplement may have potential as a colon cancer prevention agent, thus further corroborating traditional advice about ginger's potential as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent.In the study, the researcher assigned 30 volunteers to either take a supplement containing 2 grammes of ground ginger root extract, or a placebo pill, every day for 28 days. The levels of inflammation in their intestines were measured before and after the trial by tested samples of gut lining for chemicals known as eicosanoids ' that are known to increase inflammation in the gut.Certainly, the 2 grammes of ginger extract used in the supplement is equivalent to around 20 grammes of raw ginger root and is probably beyond what most people would eat in their regular diet. But with the promising results of the current study, they indicated that further investigation of ginger supplements in people at high risk of colorectal cancer is indeed warranted.What more, ginger extract could inhibit the growth of prostate cancer by 56 per cent making whole ginger extract beneficial in the therapeutic management of human prostate cancer. According to new findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, oral consumption of the extract of whole ginger, a commonly consumed vegetable worldwide, significantly inhibits prostate tumor progression in both in vitro and in vivo mice models.This is the first report to describe identification and detailed evaluation of in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of whole ginger extract in the therapeutic management of human prostate cancer and it entailed the researchers preparing a ginger extract from whole ginger purchased at a local farmers market. The extract was fed to mice at a dose of 100 mg per kg of body weight.Further analysis showed that the ginger extract inhibited the proliferation of the prostate cancer cells and increased apoptosis ' or programmed cell death - compared with control experiments. Studies with human cells also revealed that ginger could perturb various cell functions that prevented the spread of the tumor.Meanwhile, this popular spice has potential as an herbal supplement against bacteria-induced diarrhea. Diarrhoea is a common condition that causes many visits to the hospital. Children younger than the age of five and the elderly can develop severe health problems if their condition leads to dehydration.The researchers considered the effects of ginger and its bioactive components in the 2007 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Aside demonstrating its effective in preventing nausea, they reported that ginger extracts exhibit anti-diarrheal activities by blocking the binding of toxin from E. coli, a germ that causes diarrhea.Quite intriguingly, ginger extract could be used as an herbal supplement to prevent cholera-like diarrhea in developing countries. Its active component, zingerone was identified as the likely active constituent responsible for the observed antidiarrheal activity of ginger.Ginger is 'generally recognised as safe,' and the German Commission E Monographs reported that ginger has no known side effects and no known drug/herb interactions. Nonetheless, additional studies may be required to determine the effective dose of ginger in children as well as whether it is safe for infants, who may experience unexpected side effects from large doses.Indeed ginger has long been used as a remedy for nausea, especially associated with morning sickness motion sickness and post-operative recovery. Its potential to avoid nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy in cancer patients has also being demonstrated.Usually, chemotherapy patients take anti-nausea drugs that help them avoid this unpleasant side effect. But for some people, two to five days after receiving chemotherapy, a second wave of nausea may hit. Quite unlike most anti-nausea drugs which are more expensive, taking ginger supplements with standard anti-vomiting drugs beforehand can reduce the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy treatment by 40 per cent.The expert, who presented this finding at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Orlando, Florida, indicated that by taking the ginger prior to chemotherapy treatment, its earlier absorption into the body may have anti-inflammatory properties.While other studies that looked at the effect of ginger supplements on easing nausea have been small and the results inconsistent, this is the largest randomised study to show the effectiveness of ginger and the first to focus on taking the supplement before the chemotherapy.Ginger has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions to treat medical conditions such as arthritis, colic, common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, painful menstrual periods and heart conditions. In addition there are some evidence that ginger may help reduce pain from osteoarthritis (OA). In a study of 261 people with OA of the knee, those who took a ginger extract twice daily had less pain and needed fewer pain-killing medications than those who received placebo.In addition, a few preliminary studies suggested that ginger may lower cholesterol and help to prevent blood from clotting. That can be helpful in treating heart disease, where blood vessels can become blocked and lead to heart attack or stroke. But more studies are needed to show whether ginger is safe or effective for heart disease.Side effects from ginger are rare, but if taken in high doses the herb may cause mild heartburn, diarrhea, and irritation of the mouth. But one may be able to avoid some of the mild stomach side effects, such as belching, heartburn, or stomach upset, by taking ginger supplements in capsules.Nonetheless, do not take ginger if you have a bleeding disorder or if you are taking blood-thinning medications, including aspirin. In addition, ginger may alter the effects of some prescription and nonprescription medications, so individuals who are currently being treated with some blood-thinning medications, diabetes medication and high blood medications should consult their doctor before using ginger.
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