Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

70 Alternative and Complementary Approaches
GARLIC (Allium sativum)
Uses Risks/Side Effects Interactions
lower blood gastrointestinal upset antihypertensives
cholesterol strong body and
lower risk for breath odor
ATHEROSCLEROSIS excessive bleeding
reduce BLOOD with surgery
PRESSURE
See also ANTICOAGULATION THERAPY; COAGULATION;
INFECTION; LIFESTYLE AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH.
ginger An herb that soothes gastrointestinal
upset. More likely to be in the kitchen spice cabinet
than the medicine cabinet, ginger (Zingiber
officinale) is one of the most popular spices. Herbalists
and cooks alike use the gnarly root fresh or
dried, sliced or powdered, in natural form or prepared
as an extract. TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
(TCM) considers ginger a hot, yang energy that
brings warmth to the HEART, LUNGS, and especially
the STOMACH to improve their functions. Folk medicine
advises pregnant women to suck on thin
slices of fresh gingerroot to alleviate symptoms of
MORNING SICKNESS. A popular home remedy for
stomach upset is sipping on a flat gingerale. Ginger
also contains substances that act as mild antihistamines,
helping relieve allergy symptoms such
as ALLERGIC RHINITIS.
Clinical research studies provide supporting
evidence of ginger’s abilities to relieve
• NAUSEA, particularly that related to PREGNANCY
(morning sickness), motion sickness, and
CHEMOTHERAPY
• nausea and VOMITING due to gastrointestinal
viruses
• dizziness related to motion sickness
• digestive upset, particularly FLATULENCE (intestinal
gas)
• congestion due to COLDS, INFLUENZA, and seasonal
allergies
Though some people experience mild gastric
irritation when taking ginger supplements or
drinking ginger tea, ginger causes very few side
effects and health experts consider it safe for
nearly everyone to take. Ginger may affect
PLATELET AGGREGATION, and thus BLOOD clotting
(COAGULATION), in some people so surgeons generally
ask people to stop taking ginger a few days
before any planned surgery.
GINGER (Zingiber officinale)
Uses Risks/Side Effects Interactions
general NAUSEA excessive bleeding anticoagulants
MORNING SICKNESS
ASPIRIN THERAPY
motion sickness
nausea of CHEMOTHERAPY
digestive upset
See also ANTIEMETIC MEDICATIONS; ANTIHISTAMINE
MEDICATIONS; HISTAMINE.
ginkgo biloba An herbal product with many
uses. The ginkgo biloba tree is the oldest living
species of tree on Earth, believed to have first
appeared more than 200 million years ago in the
area that is now China. Individual trees typically
live hundreds of years, with some documented to
be nearly 1,000 years old, and now grow in many
parts of the world. Herbal remedies made from the
leaves and seeds of this ancient tree have been
popular for centuries for increasing longevity and
improving mental focus. It contains numerous
antioxidants (notably quercetin), collectively identified
as ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on supplement
product labels. In the United States ginkgo
biloba is a dietary supplement available without a
doctor’s prescription.
Clinical research studies conducted in the
1990s and early 2000s demonstrated ginkgo’s ability
to improve BLOOD circulation in the BRAIN and
the smallest of arteries, the arterioles, throughout
the body. Studies among people with ALZHEIMER’S
DISEASE and other forms of DEMENTIA (diminished
thought capacity and memory) showed significant
improvement after taking ginkgo biloba supplements
for eight weeks or longer, especially in
combination with Panax GINSENG. Many people of
all ages who take ginkgo biloba do so for these
cerebrovascular benefits. The effect seems to arise
from ginkgo’s mild anticoagulant action in combination
with its ANTIOXIDANT activity. Ginkgo’s ability
to open up peripheral circulation also improves
conditions such as PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE
(PVD), NEUROPATHY of DIABETES, and ERECTILE DYS-