Comfrey

Parts Used: Dried Rhizome (powdered form) Botanical Description A creeping perennial herb with thick tuberous rhizomes producing an erect annual stem to 1.5 m (5'). Sheathed leaves lanceolate, entire, alternate 1-2 cm (½-1'') wide and 15-30 cm (6-12'') long. Flowers yellow-green with a deep-purple yellow marked lip, produced in summer on radical spikes ( to 7 cm / 3'') on 30 cm (3') long peduncles.

History: Traditional Chinese medicine has recommended ginger for over 2,500 years. It is used for abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and rheumatism. Ginger is commonly used in the Ayurvedic and Tibb systems of medicine for the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases, such as arthritis.

Remedies For: Diaphoretic, expectorant, antiemetic Used for the common cold when there is thin white mucus and chills. Fresh ginger is also one of the best remedies for nausea associated with motion sickness and seafood poisoning.

Ginger is used for:

Description: Ginger is a perennial plant that grows in India, China, Mexico, and several other countries. The rhizome (the underground stem) is used.

Pharmacology ^{1-3
:When} Zingiber is given to rats there was a fall in serum cholesterol and hepatic cholesterol. On copper sulphate induced emesis. Rhizome containing shogaols 5-biphenyl, 6-phenylpropanoids, gingerols (50 mg/kg b. wt.) showed improved anti-emetic activity in frogs. Zingiber also postulated to possible role in the abortive and prophylactic effects in migraine headache

Phytochemistry^4-5:Ginger has been reported to contain usually 1-3% of volatile oil, pungent principles viz., gingerols and shogaols and about 6-8 lipids and others. Ginger oil contains zingiberine and bisoroline as major constituents along with other sesqui and monoterpenes. Ginger oleoresin contains mainly the pungent principles gingerols and shagaols as well as zingiberone. Shogaols have recently been found to be twice as pungent as gingerols

Uses in traditional medicine^6-8: It is used for abdominal pain, anorexia, arthritis, atonic dyspepsia, bleeding, cancer, chest congestion, chicken pox, cholera, chronic bronchitis, cold extremities, colic, colitis, common cold, cough, cystic fibrosis, diarrhea, difficulty in breathing, dropsy, fever, flatulent, indigestion, disorders of gallbladder, hyperacidity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, indigestion, morning sickness, nausea, rheumatism, sore throat, throat ache, stomach ache and vomiting. Ginger form an important constituent of many Ayurvedic formulations

Physico-chemical analysis		Test for specific pathogen
Moisture Ash Acid insoluble ash	<4 %w/w 3.5w/w < 1 w/w	E. coli (1g) Salmonella typhi (10g) S.aureus (1g)	Absent Absent Absent
Heavy metal analysis		Mycotoxin analysis
Lead Cadmium Arsenic	< 10 ppm < 1 ppm < 2 ppm	Aflatoxins	< 5ppb
Microbiological analysis		Phytochemical analysis
Total Viable Aerobic Count Total Enterobacteriaceae Total Fungal Count	< 10⁴ cfu g^-1< 10² cfu g^-1< 10² fs g^-1	Total gingerols (By HPLC)	>20% w/w
	< 10⁴ cfu g^-1< 10² cfu g^-1< 10² fs g^-1

Fruit a three-valved fleshy capsule. Distribution Native to south-east Asia; introduced and widespread in several tropical countries to 1500 m (4500'). Jamaican ginger is the world's leading producer with over 2,000,000 lbs exported annually. Cultivation Cultivated plant propagated from rhizome cuttings. Well-drained, humus-rich neutral to alkaline soil. Sun or part-shade with high humidity and minimum temperature of -1°C (30°F).

Needs a ten month growing period. Makes a nice house plant. Harvest Rhizomes are lifted during the growing season for fresh use or during the dormant season for drying.

Constituents The following compounds have been isolated from Ginger: Starch (up to 50%), protein (about 9%), lipids (6-8%), composed of triglycerides, phophatidic acid, lecithin, free fatty acids, a protease or protein digesting enzyme (2.26%), volatile oils (1-3%), the principle components of which are 3 sesquiterpenes (bisabolene, zingibereue and zingiberrol), vitamins (especially niacin and Vitamin A) and resins. Properties: Diffusive Stimulant, Anti-Spasmodic, Carminative The Jamaica Ginger is the best. Unfortunately some dealers have been guilty of adulterating their Ginger.

It will be well, if the physician has a mortar and pestle, to buy the root and pound his own. He will then know it is pure. One of our most useful agents.

The hot infusion is diaphoretic. Has long been used to assist a retarded menstrual flow. A teaspoonful of the powder to a cup of boiling water, sweetened. Cover; allow to stand a few minutes and drink hot. It will relieve congestion.

To chew a little of the root stimulates the salivary glands and is helpful in paralysis of the tongue or sore throat. Chewed thus, it has sometimes helped in cases of hemorrhage of lungs.

It will be found useful in flatulence and colic. Given with cathartics, it will prevent nausea and griping. It is much more diffusive than Capsicum. May be used as a substitute for Capsicum when that article is not at hand.

Place about twenty Senna leaves in a cup, a quarter of a teaspoonful of powdered Ginger, a slice of lemon and a teaspoonful of sugar. Pour on one-third of a cupful of boiling water. Cover and allow to stand until it can be drunk conveniently.

Take at one dose. This being taken warm is a very pleasant drink and no griping will result, as often happens if Senna be taken alone. It is understood, of course, that the powder will be left in the cup and only the clear liquid be taken.

Ginger Herb Information