Sheng Jiang - Zingiber officinale

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Sheng Jiang
 
 Latin
Rhizoma Zingiberis officinale
 Introduction Back to Top
Rhizoma Zingiberis officinale is officially listed in the Chinese pharmacopoeia as the dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Wild.) Rosc. (Fam Zingiberaceae). The drug is collected in winter, removed from the fibrous root, washed and dried in the sun or at low temperature. The herb is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine in common colds with slight fever, headache, general ache, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough and vomiting due to pathogenic "cold" in the stomach.
 Western medical Back to Top
Stomachic, diaphoretic, antiemetic, antidiarrheal, mucolytic, antitussive, detoxicant and in gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases.
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Releases the exterior - disperses cold.
  • Properties: Acrid, hot.
  • Channels Entered: Lung and stomach meridians.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
The chemical constituents of Z. officinalis can be divided into two classes, the pungent and the flavoring principles.
Pungent substances of Zingiberis officinale
Gingerol, the major pungent principle of the rhizome, was described more than 100 years ago, but separation and structural determination of different gingerols was first reported in 1969.
Zingerone was the first constituent of Z. officinale to be structurally determined. Gingerols could be synthesized from zingerone. Shogoals are gingerol analogs and are at best very minor constituents of Z. officinale.
Flavoring substances of Zingiberis officinale
Z. officinale contains volatile oils mainly composed of zingiberol, zingiberene, phellandrene, camphene, citral, bornol, bornyl acetate, and linaloolm. Several new sesquiterpenes were also isolated and structurally investigated.
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Gastrointestinal effect

Z. officinale has a bi phasic effect on gastric acid secretion.

Antiemetic effect

The active antiemetic constituents are identified as being the combination of zingerone and shogoal.

Antiinflammatory action

Significant anti inflammatory and anti-swelling actions have been demonstrated in clinical studies.

Analgesic effect

Intraperitoneal injection of raw Z. officinale preparation in mice at the dose of 5 or 10g/kg had a marked analgesic effect.

Cardiovascular effect

It has been demontrated that the alcohol extract of ginger stimulated the vasomotor and respiratory center and directly stimulated the heart.

Inotropic effect

The methanolic extract of Z. officinale or its active ingredients, the gingerold, has been found to possess potent positive inotropic effects on guinea pig isolated left atria.

Endocrine effect

(6)-Gingerol and the gingerdione derivatives, (6)- and (8)-gingerdiones and (6)- and (8)-dehydrogingerdiones, are potent inhibitors of prostaglandin biosynthesis.

Antihepatotoxic effect

Gingerols and shogoals exhibited significant antihepatotoxic actions against CCl4- and galactosamine-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. The antihepatotoxic activity of gingerols and shogoals was dependent on the length of the side chain, with the (7)-and (8)-homologs eliciting the strongest activity. Intragastric or oral administration of ginger oleoresin to cholesterol-fed rats significantly lowered serum and hepatic cholesterol levels and increased fecal cholesterol excretion.

Anti-bacterial effect

A significant inhibitory action was exhibited by the herb in vitro against Salmonella typhi and Vibrio cholerae. Strong bactericidal action against these pathogens were also exhibited by shogaol, and in particular, by zingerone. The 2.5%, 5% and 25% aqueous extracts of the herb proved lethal to Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro.

Antipyretic and Analgesic effect

Oral administration of gingerol or shogaol at doses of 70-140mg/kg and intravenous administration of both compounds at doses of 1.75-3.7mg/kg to rats produced an inhibition of spontaneous motor activity, showed antipyretic and analgesic effects and prolonged hexobarbital induced sleeping time. Shaogal was found to display an intense antitussive effect in comparison with dihydrocodeine phosphate.
 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Blood Pressure

The mean systolic and diastolic pressures of normal subjects given 1g of of fresh Zingiberis to chew without swallowing, were increased by 11.2 and 14mmHg, respectively.

In the treatment of Gastric and duodenal ulcers

Fresh Zingiberis 50g was washed and minced and decocted in 300ml of water for 30 minutes; the decoction was taken three times a day for two days. In 10 cases so treated there was improvement or relief from pain, alleviation of acid regurgitation and constipation and an increase in appetite.
 
 References Back to Top

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