Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and while this type of cancer can be caused by a variety of circumstances, the most common cause of lung cancer is cigarette smoking (Source).
Treating lung cancer is an individualized process, and the most common types of treatment include prescription drugs, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Treatments Alternative medicine are emerging among cancer patients and the medical community is constantly searching for effective herbal treatment.
Ginger has been used medicinally for centuries, and while researchers are uncertain about its cancer-fighting benefits, it may reduce other symptoms associated with cancer treatments.
Ginger Active Commands:
The primary active ingredients in ginger include: volatile oils and phenol compounds (Source). It is believed by researcher Wendell L. Combest, Ph.D. the primary compounds within ginger are responsible for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antiparasitic properties (Source).
Although ginger has undergone research on its use as an anti-cancer herb, most studies cannot provide a conclusive answer. An interesting study conducted by the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota found that when rats were given gingerol (a derivative of ginger) three times a week, the rats experienced reduced cancer development (Source). While this study is promising, further research is required to determine the true effectiveness of ginger against cancer cells.
Cancer Treatment Benefits:
Although the use of ginger to eradicate or slow the progression of lung cancer cells is not clear among the medical community, researchers have found ginger to be effective in treating symptoms that accompany various lung cancer treatments.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the primary active ingredients found in ginger have been proven to reduce the severity of nausea caused by chemotherapy treatments. While the patients in this study experienced significant decreases in feelings of nausea, ginger did not reduce the frequency of vomiting (Source).
Other studies also suggest that ginger can be an effective anti-nausea and anti-vomiting treatment due to anesthesia (Source).
If you are interested in ginger to reduce nausea associated with lung cancer treatments or the likelihood of feeling sick after undergoing anesthesia, then consume one to two crushed P. ginger root one hour before being put under anesthesia or up to 250 milligrams of ginger extract four times a day (Source). Make sure that ginger contains a pungent phenol concentration of 5 percent and a volatile oil concentration of at least 4 percent to perceive the maximum benefit (Source).
References Used:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/10/031029064357.htm
Science Daily: Pure Food Ginger Works Against Cancer Growth
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lung-cancer/DS00038
Mayo Clinic: Lung Cancer
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm
University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginger
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/961.html
MedlinePlus: Ginger
