According to research from the University of Rochester Medical Center, ginger root can be used to ease the nausea in people undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Ginger is a perennial plant that grows in India, China, Mexico, and several other countries. The rhizome (underground stem) is used as both a spice and in herbal medicine. The dried rhizome of ginger contains approximately 1–4% volatile oils. These are the medically active constituents of ginger and are also responsible for ginger’s characteristic odor and taste.

The research found that the use of ginger supplements can reduce post-chemotherapy nausea by as much as 40 percent.

“There are effective drugs to control vomiting, but the nausea is often worse because it lingers,” said lead author Julie L. Ryan, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of Dermatology and Radiation Oncology at Rochester’s James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. “Nausea is a major problem for people who undergo chemotherapy and it’s been a challenge for scientists and doctors to understand how to control it.”

The placebo-controlled, double-blind study included 644 cancer patients receiving at least three chemotherapy treatments. The patients were divided into four groups; one received placebos, one got 0.5 gram of ginger, one got 1 gram of ginger, one got 1.5 grams of ginger along with anti-vomiting drugs.

Patients took the ginger supplements three days prior to chemotherapy and three days following treatment. Patients reported nausea levels at various times of day during following their chemotherapy.

The patients who took the lower doses of the ginger had a 40 percent reduction.

The study is the largest randomized study to demonstrate the effectiveness of ginger supplements to ease the nausea. Previous small studies have been inconsistent and never focused on taking the common spice before chemotherapy

Ginger is readily absorbed in the body and has long been considered a remedy for stomach aches. “By taking the ginger prior to chemotherapy treatment, the National Cancer Institute-funded study suggests its earlier absorption into the body may have anti-inflammatory properties,” Ryan said.

Source
University of Rochester