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Plant Remedies
Ginger
One of the features of inflammation
in the human body is the increased oxygenation of arachidonic acid which
is metabolised by two enzymic pathways--the cyclooxygenase (CO) and the
5-lipoxygenase (5-LO)--leading to the production of prostaglandins and
leukotrienes
respectively. More than 200 potential drugs ranging from non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, gold salts, disease modifying
anti-rheumatic drugs, methotrexate, cyclosporine
have been tested, but so far, none of the drugs has been found safe;
all are known to produce from mild to serious side-effects.
Ginger
and arthritis
Ginger is described in Ayurvedic and Tibb
systems of medicine to be useful in inflammation and
rheumatism, and for this reason researchers at the Department of
Environmental Medicine, Odense University, Denmark turned their attention
to it. 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.
The report 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.
(1) Srivastava KC; Mustafa
T. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and rheumatic disorders. Department of
Environmental Medicine, Odense University, Denmark. Med Hypotheses
(ENGLAND) May 1989, 29 (1) p25-8
(2) Srivastava KC; Mustafa T Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in rheumatism
and musculoskeletal disorders. Med Hypotheses (ENGLAND) Dec 1992, 39 (4)
p342-8
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