Nonclinical studies suggest that ginger may reduce the severity of gastrointestinal syndrome and mitigate early damage produced in cells and tissues by ionizing radiation
Tissue and Radio-Protective Effects
Jagetia et al. (2003 and 2004) have shown that pretreatment of mice with a hydroalcoholic extract of ginger rhizome reduced the severity of radiation sickness and the mortality, and protected mice from gastrointestinal syndrome, as well as bone marrow syndrome. The dose reduction factor was found to be 1.15. The optimum protective dose of 10 mg/kg of the hydroalcoholic ginger extract; this dose was 1/50 of the LD50 (500 mg/kg).
Sharma et al. (2005) have shown that ginger extract mitigates the neurobehavioral effects of gamma radiation-induced, conditioned taste aversion in Sprague–Dawley rats. The mechanisms of this gastro-protection have been suggested to be multi-factorial and include anti-oxidant, neuro-modulatory and radio-protective mechanisms.
Haksar et al. (2006) concluded that ginger may be a pharmacological agent that can safely and effectively mitigate the early damage produced in cells and tissues by ionizing radiation.
References:
Haksar A, Sharma A, Chawla R, Kumar R, Arora R, Singh S, Prasad J, Gupta M, Tripathi R, Arora M, Islam F and Sharma R. (2006). Zingiber officinale exhibits behavioral radioprotection against radiation. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 84, 179–188.
Jagetia G, Baliga M, Venkatesh P and Ulloor J. (2003). Influence of ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) on survival, glutathione and lipid peroxidation in mice after whole-body exposure to gamma radiation. Radiat. Res. 160, 584–592.
Jagetia G, Baliga M and Venkatesh P. (2004). Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), a dietary supplement, protects mice against radiation-induced lethality: mechanism of action. Cancer Biother. Radiopharm. 19, 422–435.
Sharma A, Haksar A, Chawla R, Kumar R, Arora R, Singh S, Prasad J, Islam F, Arora M, Kumar Sharma R. (2005). Zingiber officinale Rosc. modulates gamma radiation-induced conditioned taste aversion. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 81, 864–870