Gan Jiang - Zingiber officinale

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Gan Jiang
 
 Latin
Rhizoma Zingiberis
 Introduction Back to Top
Rhizoma Zingiberis is the dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Willd.) Rose. (Fam. Zingiberaceae). The drug is collected in winter, removed from fibrous root, washed, and dried in the sun or at low temperature

 Western medical Back to Top
This herb is used in the treatment of early pregnancy termination, infantile autumn diarrhea, erosive gastritis and peptic ulcer, etc..

 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Warms the center, disperses Cold, restores yang, invigorates Pulse, warms the Lung and dissolves Plhegm.
  • Properties: Pungent, Hot.
  • Channels entered: Heart, Lung, Spleen and Stomach.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
gan jiang contains volatile oil which mainly contains zingberol, zingiberene, bisabolene, a-curcumene, a-and b-farnesene, linalool, cineole and b-sesouiphellandrene, etc..

 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Effects on the digestive system

gan jiang had mild stimulative effect on the digestive system. It could increase the intestinal tensility, rhythm and peristalsis which was followed by lowering activities sometimes. Its extracturm could inhibit the vomiting induced by copper sulphate in dogs.

Effects on the cardiovascular system and respiratory center

Alcohol extract fluid of gan jiang had excitatory effect on vasomotor and respiratory centers in anaesthetized cats. It could also excite the heart.

 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Early pregnancy termination

Cui Jing Zhi Yun Tang: dang gui, huai niu xi, zang hong hua, da fu pi, 12g each; yi mu cao 30g; san leng, e zhu, 20g each; su mu 8g; gan jiang 6g; gui zhi 9g; chuang xiong 5g; shui zhi 10g; gan sui 3g. Water decoction, 1 dose every day for 3~5 days. The method was used to treat 34 cases of early pregnancy, and 15 were markedly effective.

Infantile autumn diarrhea

Gui Zhi Ren Shen Tang: gui zhi, hong shen, gan jiang, 5g each; bai zhu, che qian zi (wrapped), 6g each; gan cao 3g. Modify the formula according to TCM differentiation. 595 cases of infantile autumn diarrhea were treated and 585 were effective.

Erosive gastritis

Qing Mi Tang: bai zhu 15g, da zao 6 pieces; gan jiang, hou po, zi hua di ding, chai hu, wu yao, 10g each; sheng da huang 5g. Modify the formula according to TCM differentiation. Water decoction, 1 dose every day for consecutive 2 months. 19 out of 20 treated cases were effective.

Peptic ulcer

Gan Jiang Qin Lian Ren Shen Tang: gan jiang, huang lian, 9g each; huang qin 12g; dang shen 30g; sha ren 6g; guang mu xiang, zhi gan cao 10g. Modify the formula according to TCM differentiation, 1 dose every day, water decoction, 7 weeks as a course of treatment. 73 out of 77 treated cases were effective.

 
 References Back to Top

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998