Ginger is a plant that is used in cooking and to which health benefits are also attributed; In fact, it has been used in traditional Asian medicine to relieve colds and digestive problems. New research has now found that ginger supplements may help control inflammation in patients with autoimmune diseases.
This is the first study to provide evidence of the biological mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger in humans. The findings have been published in JCI Insight and their authors, researchers led by professors at CU Anschutz and the University of Michigan, hope they will serve as a basis for evaluating the use of ginger supplements as part of the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
The researchers focused on analyzing the effects that ginger supplementation had on neutrophils – a type of white blood cell – and, especially, on the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), a condition also known as NETosis, and what it can mean to control inflammation.
“Ginger is a natural supplement that may be useful in treating inflammation and symptoms in people with several different autoimmune diseases.”
The results revealed that ginger consumption by healthy people makes their neutrophils more resistant to NETosis. This is important because NETs are microscopic, spiderweb-like structures that promote inflammation and clotting, which promotes the development of many autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, antiphospholipid syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Testing was carried out in a clinical trial involving healthy volunteers, which showed that taking a ginger supplement daily for seven days (20 mg gingerols/day) stimulated a chemical within neutrophils called cAMP. These high levels of cAMP inhibited NETosis in response to various disease-relevant stimuli.
“There are many diseases in which neutrophils are abnormally hyperactive. “We found that ginger can help curb NETosis, and this is important because it is a natural supplement that may be useful in treating inflammation and symptoms in people with several different autoimmune diseases,” said Dr. Kristen Demoruelle, associate professor. of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at Anschutz Medical Campus and co-senior author.
Anti-inflammatory properties of ginger in people
“Our research, for the first time, provides evidence of the biological mechanism underlying ginger’s apparent anti-inflammatory properties in people,” said Dr. Jason Knight, associate professor in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Michigan and co-senior author. .
Researchers say many people with inflammatory disorders are likely to ask their doctors if natural supplements might be helpful for them, or if they already take supplements, such as ginger, to help manage symptoms, but their effect is often unknown. precise impact on the disease.
Therefore, they hope that providing more evidence on the benefits of ginger, including the direct mechanism by which this plant influences neutrophils, will encourage healthcare professionals and patients to make a better decision about whether to take ginger supplements such as part of your treatment plan.
“There are not many natural supplements, or prescription medications, known to combat overactive neutrophils. Therefore, we believe that ginger may have real ability to complement treatment programs already in place. The goal is to be more strategic and personalized in terms of helping to alleviate people’s symptoms,” concludes Knight.
Source: University of Colorado Anschutz
