Ginger in cancer therapy

Ginger reduces the side effects of chemo

07/15/2013

Ginger can have a very positive effect on cancer therapy. As the German Cancer Aid reports, the root has a convincing effect against the stomach problems associated with chemotherapy such as nausea and vomiting. A research team around Dr. Beate Niesler of the Institute of Human Genetics of the University Hospital in Heidelberg has now succeeded in deciphering the way ginger relieves the nausea and helps to calm the stomach, according to the message of the German Cancer Aid.

„The ingredients of ginger inhibit certain messengers of the crushing center in the brain“, reports the German Cancer Aid and added: „These findings allow ginger root to be used in clinical practice.“ The research project in Heidelberg was funded by the German Cancer Aid with 208,000 euros. According to the experts, many cancer patients already rely on nausea and vomiting as side effects of chemotherapy „on the stomach-soothing effects of ginger root.“, even though „until now it was unclear how ginger actually works.“

Stomach discomfort typical side effect of chemo
The stomach problems that often occur as a result of chemotherapy are, according to the German Cancer Aid for the cancer patients particularly dangerous because they additionally weaken the already greatly weakened patients even more. „In severe cases, the attending physician even has to stop the therapy - even if the tumor actually responds to the medication“, report the German Cancer Aid. The nausea is caused by the cytotoxins contained in the chemo-drugs. Because even the intestinal cells are prone to the drugs. The damaged intestinal cells then release the messenger serotonin, which „At a receptor on the surface of nerve cells docks and so the Brechzentrum in the brain“ activated, explains the German Cancer Aid. The result was nausea and vomiting.

Ginger root suppresses the side effects of chemo
Although many special drugs, so-called anti-emetic, are available today against the side effects of chemotherapy, but the natural active ingredients of ginger root suppress the current findings, the successful nausea. According to the German Cancer Aid, US researchers had already established in 2009 in a study, „that ginger extract can reduce the discomfort by 40 percent.“ However, so far the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the root have been missing. Now the team around Dr. Beate Niesler find that „The ginger root has a number of highly effective ingredients“ containing the serotonin docking sites on the nerve cells. „The result: Serotonin can no longer bind. The vomiting center is not activated and the nausea remains“, explained the expert.

Scientists hope to use ginger in clinical trials
According to the Heidelberg researcher, ginger works in principle in the same way as classic anti-emetic agents, which also occupy certain docking sites on the nerve cells. „The ingredients of the ginger are, so to speak, the natural counterpart to the active ingredients of the anti-emetic“, explained Dr. Beate Niesler. Given the current findings, the scientists hope that the ginger root and its ingredients will soon be used in clinical trials. „A combination of ginger extract and anti-emetic would be a powerful weapon against the nausea caused by chemotherapy. The treatment would be doubly effective“, stressed Niesler.

The Chief Executive of German Cancer Aid, Gerd Nettekoven, was also pleased with the current findings on the stomach-soothing effects of ginger. „The goal of the research projects we sponsor is not only to develop new therapeutic strategies, but also to make the existing treatments as effective and as low in side effects as possible“, emphasized Nettekoven. Here, ginger as a natural remedy for the side effects of cancer therapy obviously a quite promising option. (Fp)

Picture: w.r.wagner