Zingiber officinale
Action: Aromatic, stimulant, diaphoretic, sialagogue, carminative, stomachic, anti-emetic, antispasmodic, rubefacient.
Systems Affected: Stomach, intestines, circulation, general effects on the whole body.
Preparation and Dosage (thrice daily): Fresh or dried rhizome, dose 0.5-2.0 grams by infusion.
Ginger is a perennial plant indigenous to south-east Asia. It is now cultivated commercially in most tropical and subtropical countries, including Australia. The rhizome is the part used and, when dried, it keeps almost indefinitely.
The plant has a long history of culinary and medicinal use: it was imported from the east by the ancient Greeks and it has been a part of daily life for centuries in the Far East, where it remains one of the important drugs of Chinese medicine.
Ginger is a versatile herbal stimulant. It is often combined with other remedies for its general tonic and stimulant properties, and with laxatives to prevent nausea and griping. It also helps to distribute other herbs throughout the body. It is stronger than Peppermint and is more diffusive than Cayenne, for which it can be used as a substitute. (Many herbal formulas include a stimulant herb to reinforce the action of the other herbs. The three herbs most frequently used for their stimulant properties are Cayenne, Ginger and Peppermint.)
Ginger is of particular benefit to the stomach, intestines and circulation. Its warming, antispasmodic qualities are useful in flatulent colic, dyspepsia, atony of the digestive organs, nausea, cramp, spasm and period pain. It is also sometimes used for treating diarrhea and dysentery.
Ginger is of specific benefit where the stomach is under-active and there is difficulty secreting adequate hydrochloric acid to digest food. Ginger stimulates saliva secretion which in turn stimulates gastric acid production.
In colds and flu it is a valuable diaphoretic with stimulant and tonic properties. For deficient circulation, and any condition relating to cold or chills, it is a reliable remedy.
Externally it is used as a compress or in ointments to relieve pain, inflammation and stiff joints.
In all formulas calling for Ginger, either the fresh or dried rhizome may be used unless specified otherwise. The amount used, by weight, is the same.
Cautionary Notes: Large doses should be avoided by those suffering from any skin complaint.
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Tags: Herbal
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