¡Jengibre! Menuda especie.

Los estudios científicos detallados en la zona comentarios.

El jengibre en medicina occidental ha sido usado para problemas gastrointestinales y dolencias respiratorias (1).
Los estudios sugieren que el jengibre tiene propiedades como antiemético (2) , anticanceroso (3) (4) (5) (6) , antiinflamatorio (6) (7) (8) , para la dependencia a medicamentos (9) , y efectos hipoglucémicos (7). También puede proteger contra la enfermedad de Alzheimer (10) (11) (12). El jengibre influye en el vaciamiento gástrico en individuos sanos (13) y puede promover sensaciones de saciedad, por ese motivo es usado en dietas de adelgazamiento (14). Las revisiones sistemáticas del jengibre sugieren la efectividad para el tratamiento de la dismenorrea primaria (21) y una eficacia moderada contra el dolor lumbar osteoartrítico y crónico (15) (16).

Los ensayos clínicos indican que el jengibre puede reducir las náuseas y los vómitos (17) (18) (19) (20).
La evidencia en la prevención de náuseas y vómitos inducidos por quimioterapia (CINV) es generalmente positiva (22) (23) (24) (25). Por una parte, los gingeroles, actúan como antagonistas de los receptores 5-HT3 uniéndose a ellos por un punto distinto al de la serotonina. Además, también bloquean de forma no competitiva los receptores colinérgicos muscarínicos M3 (26). No se descarta que pueda haber otros tipos de receptores involucrados, como por ejemplo receptores de neurokininas.

Otro estudio piloto sugiere que los suplementos de jengibre pueden tener efectos quimiopreventivos para aquellos con mayor riesgo de cáncer de colon con mucosa colónica de apariencia normal (27).

El motivo por el cual es usado en dolores articulares y artrosis es gracias a la actividad antiinflamatoria que se debe a los gingeroles, los cuales son potentes inhibidores del metabolismo del ácido araquidónico tanto por la vía de la cicloxigenasa (COX-2) como de la lipoxigenasa, reduciendo la biosíntesis de prostaglandinas y leucotrienos (28)

Referencias científicas:

1. EMA-HMPC (2011) Community herbal monograph on Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizoma. Ref. Doc. EMA/HMPC/749154/2010. Adopted: 27-9-2012.
2. Lumb AB. Mechanism of antiemetic effect of ginger. Anaesthesia. Dec 1993;48(12):1118.
3. Ishiguro K, Ando T, Maeda O, et al. Ginger ingredients reduce viability of gastric cancer cells via distinct mechanisms. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. Oct 12 2007;362(1):218-223.
4. Lee SH, Cekanova M, Baek SJ. Multiple mechanisms are involved in 6-gingerol-induced cell growth arrest and apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells. Mol Carcinog. Mar 2008;47(3):197-208.
5. Rhode J, Fogoros S, Zick S, et al. Ginger inhibits cell growth and modulates angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007;7:44.
6. Plengsuriyakarn T, Viyanant V, Eursitthichai V, et al. Anticancer activities against cholangiocarcinoma, toxicity and pharmacological activities of Thai medicinal plants in animal models. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012;12:23.
7. Ojewole JA. Analgesic, antiinflammatory and hypoglycaemic effects of ethanol extract of Zingiber officinale (Roscoe) rhizomes (Zingiberaceae) in mice and rats. Phytother Res. Sep 2006;20(9):764-772.
8. Podlogar JA, Verspohl EJ. Antiinflammatory effects of ginger and some of its components in human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells. Phytother Res. Mar 2012;26(3):333-336.
9. Darvishzadeh-Mahani F, Esmaeili-Mahani S, Komeili G, et al. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) prevents the development of morphine analgesic tolerance and physical dependence in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. Jun 14 2012;141(3):901-907.
10. Zeng GF, Zhang ZY, Lu L, et al. Protective effects of ginger root extract on Alzheimer disease-induced behavioral dysfunction in rats. Rejuvenation Res. Apr 2013;16(2):124-133.
11. Oboh G, Ademiluyi AO, Akinyemi AJ. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activities and some pro-oxidant induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain by two varieties of ginger (Zingiber officinale). Exp Toxicol Pathol. May 2012;64(4):315-319.
12. Kim DS, Kim DS, Oppel MN. Shogaols from Zingiber officinale protect IMR32 human neuroblastoma and normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells from beta-amyloid(25-35) insult. Planta Med. Apr 2002;68(4):375-376.
13. Wu KL, Rayner CK, Chuah SK, et al. Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. May 2008;20(5):436-440.
14. Mansour MS, Ni YM, Roberts AL, et al. Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men: a pilot study. Metabolism. Oct 2012;61(10):1347-1352.
15. Chrubasik JE, Roufogalis BD, Chrubasik S. Evidence of effectiveness of herbal antiinflammatory drugs in the treatment of painful osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain. Phytother Res. Jul 2007;21(7):675-683.
16. Terry R, Posadzki P, Watson LK, et al. The use of ginger (Zingiber officinale) for the treatment of pain: a systematic review of clinical trials. Pain Med. Dec 2011;12(12):1808-1818.
17. Smith C, Crowther C, Willson K, et al. A randomized controlled trial of ginger to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. Apr 2004;103(4):639-645.
18. Vutyavanich T, Kraisarin T, Ruangsri R. Ginger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. Apr 2001;97(4):577-582.
19. Ernst E, Pittler MH. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Br J Anaesth. Mar 2000;84(3):367-371.
20. Phillips S, Ruggier R, Hutchinson SE. Zingiber officinale (ginger)—an antiemetic for day case surgery.Anaesthesia. Aug 1993;48(8):715-717.
21. Daily JW, Zhang X, Kim da S, Park S. Efficacy of Ginger for Alleviating the Symptoms of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Pain Med. 2015 Dec;16(12):2243-55.
22. Zick SM, Ruffin MT, Lee J, et al. Phase II trial of encapsulated ginger as a treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Support Care Cancer. May 2009;17(5):563-572.
23. Levine ME, Gillis MG, Koch SY, et al. Protein and ginger for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced delayed nausea. J Altern Complement Med. Jun 2008;14(5):545-551.
24. Pillai AK, Sharma KK, Gupta YK, et al. Anti-emetic effect of ginger powder versus placebo as an add-on therapy in children and young adults receiving high emetogenic chemotherapy. Pediatr Blood Cancer. Feb 2011;56(2):234-238.
25. Ryan JL, Heckler CE, Roscoe JA, et al. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) reduces acute chemotherapy-induced nausea: a URCC CCOP study of 576 patients. Support Care Cancer. Jul 2012;20(7):1479-1489.
26. Pertz HH, Lehmann J, Roth-Ehrang R, Elz S. Effects of ginger constituents on the
gastrointestinal tract: role of cholinergic M3 and serotonergic 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors. Planta Med 2011; 77: 973-978
27. Citronberg J, Bostick R, Ahearn T, et al. Effects of ginger supplementation on cell-cycle biomarkers in the normal-appearing colonic mucosa of patients at increased risk for colorectal cancer: results from a pilot, randomized, and controlled trial. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). Apr 2013;6(4):271-281.
28. Lantz RC, Chen GJ, Sarihan M, Sólyom AM, Jolad SD, Timmermann BN. The effect of extracts from ginger rhizome on inflammatory mediator production. Phytomedicine 2007; 14:123-128.