Ginger
(Zingiber officinale)

General Info

Active Forms

Absorption

Dietary Sources

Dosage Info

Dosage Range 250mg (standardized extract), 2-4 times a day. Most Common Dosage 250mg (standardized extract), 3 times a day. Dosage Forms		Adult RDI Adult ODA

Overview

Interactions

Drug/Herb Interactions
•	Anticoagulant medications
•	Antiplatelet medications

Ginger has been used throughout history as both a culinary herb and a medicinal agent. Ginger has gained attention in the United States because of its effect on motion sickness,(1) nausea, as an aid in digestion, and its anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory effects.(2, 3, 4)

Toxicities & Precautions

General
No known toxicity in recommended dosages.(5)

Health Conditions
Based on pharmacology, use with caution in individuals with bleeding disorders.(6)

Side Effects
There is little risk of toxicity in normal doses, but some individuals may experience GI upset.(7)

Pregnancy/Breast-Feeding
If pregnant or nursing, consult a physician before use. A laboratory animal study reported that when a proprietary extract of ginger was administered to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis, with neither maternal nor developmental toxicity at daily doses of up to 1000 mg/kg body weight seen.(8)

Age Limitations
Do not use in children under 2 years of age unless recommended by a physician.

Symptoms & Causes of Deficiency

Footnotes

¹ Lien HC, Sun WM, Chen YH, Kim H, Hasler W, Owyang C. Effects of ginger on motion sickness and gastric slow-wave dysrhythmias induced by circular vection. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. Mar2003;284(3):G481-9.
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² Mascolo N, Jain R, Jain SC, et al. Ethnopharmacologic Investigation of Ginger (Zingiber officinale). J Ethnopharmacol. Nov1989;27(1-2):129-40.
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³ Langner E, Greifenberg S, Gruenwald J. Ginger: History and Use. Adv Ther. Jan1998;15(1):25-44.
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⁴ Srivastava KC, Mustafa T. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Rheumatic Disorders. Med Hypotheses. May1989;29(1):25-8.
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⁵ Newall CA, et al. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. London: The Pharmaceutical Press; 1996:135-37.
⁶ Heck AM, et al. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm. Jul2000;57(13): 1221-7.
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⁷ Desai HG, Kalro RH, Choksi AP. Effect of ginger and garlic on DNA content of gastric aspirate. Ind J Med Res. Apr1990;92:139-41.
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⁸ Weidner MS, Sigwart K. Investigation of the Teratogenic Potential of a Zingiber officinale Extract in the Rat. Reprod Toxicol. Jan2001;15(1):75-80.
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Ginger(Zingiber officinale)

Ginger
(Zingiber officinale)