Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are the term used to refer to any condition or disease that occurs within the gastrointestinal tract. These disorders affect a lot of people and decreased their life quality. Zingiber officinale also called ginger is a member of the Zingiberaceae family and is native to Asia but is now cultivated in the West Indies, Africa, India, and other tropical regions. Ginger spice is prepared from the underground stem (rhizome) of the plant and it can be in different colors from white to brown. This spice has been used in the kitchen since the 13th century with a great diversity of uses. It can be consumed in food additives, drinks, and food products like curry powder, confectionaries, soups, jams, and flour products. Besides, it has been used in folk medicine for the therapy of gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, menstrual irregularities, asthma, and diabetes. Promising data from epidemiological as well as in vitro and animal studies have claimed that consumption of ginger may be useful in the treatment and also prevention of GI diseases such as nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain disorders, gastric ulcerations, and Helicobacter pylori infection. Although there is no clinical support for its harmful effects, there is some safety concerns have been raised when pregnant women used ginger in large doses. Therefore, further epidemiological as well as in vivo and in vitro studies are required the confirm the useful effects of ginger on gastrointestinal disorders. This study aims to provide knowledge about ginger and its beneficial health effects on GI diseases.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Ginger, Gastrointestinal disorders, Zingiber officinale, human health
|
