Abstract

Ginger is used worldwide as a cooking spice, condiment and herbal remedy. Ginger is used extensively in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India to block excessive clotting (that is, heart disease), reduce cholesterol and fight arthritis. In Arabian medicine, ginger is considered an aphrodisiac. The Eclectic physicians of the 19th century relied on ginger to induce sweating, improve the appetite and curb nausea, and as a topical counterirritant. Nowadays, ginger is extensively cultivated from Asia to Africa and the Caribbean, and is used worldwide as a nausea remedy, as an anti-spasmodic and to promote warming in case of chills as presented in this report. Ginger is also extensively consumed as a flavoring agent; it is estimated that in India, the average daily consumption is 8 to 10 g of fresh ginger root. Moreover, the German Commission E has approved the use of ginger root as a treatment for dyspepsia and prophylactic against motion sickness.

Key words: Ginger, Zingiber officinale, traditional usages.