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Gan-jiang (GINGER) Zingiber officinale
Gan-jiang (Zingiber officinale) Thai Gan-jiang has been used in Asia for thousands of years for relief from arthritis, rheumatism, sprains, muscular aches and pains, catarrh, congestion, coughs, sinusitis, sore throats, diarrhea, colic, cramps, indigestion, loss of appetite, motion sickness, fever, flu, chills, and infectious disease. The dried root treats depleted yang, the bright energy element in Chinese Chi.
Experiments have also shown analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. Even in modern China, while an essential ingredient in almost any meal, it is also one of the most widely consumed drugs. Both fresh and dried roots are official drugs of the modern Chinese pharmacopoeia, as is a liquid extract and tincture. Gan-jiang is used in dozens of traditional Chinese prescriptions as a "guide drug" to "mediate" the effects of potentially toxic ingredients. In fact, in modern China, it is believed to be used in half of all herbal prescriptions.
Studies by Japanese researchers
indicate that Gan-jiangr has a tonic effect on the heart, and may lower blood
pressure by restricting blood flow in peripheral areas of the body. Further
studies show that Gan-jiang can lower cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol
absorption in the blood and liver. Extracts have been extensively studied
for a broad range of biological activities including antibacterial, anti-convulsant,
analgesic, anti-ulcer, gastric anti-secretory, anti-tumor, anti-fungal, anti-spasmodic,
anti-allergenic, and other activities.
Gingerols have been shown to be inhibitors of prostaglandin biosynthesis. Danish researchers at Odense University have studied the anti-coagulant properties of Zingiber officinale and found that it was a more potent blood clotting agent than garlic or onion. The same research group studied the potential use in the treatment of migraine, based on the long history of Gan-jiang use for neurological disorders by practitioners of India's traditional Ayurvedic medicine. The researchers proposed that Zingiber officinale may exert migraine headache relieving and preventative activity without side effects.
Other scientific studies show that gingerol, one of the primary pungent principles of Gan-jiang, helps counter liver toxicity by increasing bile secretion. Gan-jiang has potent anti-microbial and anti-oxidant (food preservative) qualities as well. A recent study furthering it's reputation as a stomachic, demonstrate that acetone and methanol extracts of Zingiber officinale strongly inhibits gastric ulceration.
The antimicrobial properties of
various extracts of Zingiber officinale against Escherichia coli, Salmonella
typhi and Bacillus subtilis that are common cause of gastrointestinal tract
infections were investigated using the cup-plate diffusion method. The result
obtained revealed that ethanolic extract of Gan-jiang gave the widest zone
of inhibition against two out of the three test organisms at the concentration
However, Escherichia coli and Salmonella
typhi were more sensitive to the extract of onion bulbs compared to Bacillus
subtilis which was predominantly resistant. It was also observed that the
solvent of extraction and its varying concentrations affected the sensitivity
of two of the test organisms to the plant materials.
Flavanoids are chemical compounds active against microorganisms. They have been found in-vitro to be effective antimicrobial substance against a wide array of microorganisms. Gan-jiang consists of the fresh or dried roots of Zingiber officinale. In humans, Gan-jiang is thought to act directly on the gastrointestinal system to reduce nausea. Traditionally, Gan-jiang has been used to treat intestinal infections, especially related with digestive problems. Equally, its antibacterial power' is effective against preventing numerous intestinal problems that take place as a result of the alteration of the intestinal flora.
This is ideal to avoid the formation of ulcers by eliminating the Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium whose secretions of ammonia are responsible for many ulcers, especially those of the duodena, and for other stomach problems like gastritis, since the plant is able to neutralize the excess of gastric acid that is another of the causes that favors the formation of ulcers.
The gingerols have analgesic, sedative, antipyretic, antibacterial, and gastrointestinal tract motility effects. Gan-jiang has the capacity to eliminate harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, responsible for most of the diarrhea, especially in children. It eases both diarrhea and constipation; hence it should have impact on the growth of Bacillus cereus, which mainly causes diarrhea and nausea. It has been shown to reduce the stickiness of blood platelets, hence may help reduce risk of atherosclerosis.
The genus Salmonella is among the most common causes of food and water borne infectious diseases in the world. The organism has a wide host range which comprises most animal species including mammals, birds and cold-blooded animals in addition to human. A number of studies in Nigeria have shown that Salmonella infections are endemic in many parts of the country and its endemicity increases especially in areas with low environmental hygiene. Bacillus subtilis has been implicated in various food spoilage including ropiness in bread, production of CO2 in canned meats, sliminess and coagulation in milk, etc.
Escherichia coli is one of the main causes of both nosocomial and community-acquired infections in humans and one of the micro-organisms most frequently isolated from blood. E. coli in humans is a common inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract. It can also cause various intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. The pathogenic isolates of E. coli have a relatively large potential for developing resistance.
The spread of microbial drug resistance is a global public health challenge, which impairs the efficacy of anti-microbial agents and results in substantial increased illnesses and death rate, hence, this work was therefore undertaken to investigate as well as authenticate the antimicrobial potentials of the two medicinal plants.