CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the characteristics and the findings of the researcher with regards to

the view of related literature and study on “ACCEPTABILITY OF GINGER ROOT

(Zingiber officinale Linn) IN MAKING OINTMENT”.

Local and Foreign Literature

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe Zingiberaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been

widely used in Chinese, Ayurvedic and tibbunani herbal medicines all over the world, since

antiquity for a wide array of unrelated ailments that includes arthritis, rheumatism, sprains,

muscular aches, pains, sore throats, cramps, constipation, indigestion, vomiting, hypertension,

dementia, fever, infections, diseases, and helminthiasis.

In many preparations, ginger has been used not only because of its medicinal value but it

is also used as an adjunct, to that it acts as a flavoring agent or preservatives. Ginger does not

only possess pharmacological importance in medicines but is also used as pharmacological

importance in medicines but is also used as pharmaceutical aid. It was found out in a study

conducted in Japan that ginger contains at least 12 constituents that are as much more powerful

as antioxidant than Vitamin E.

Several reviews have appeared in the literature about this plant, and this may reflect the

popularity of the subject and its common use as a spice and medicinal plant. The constituents of
ginger are numerous and very depending on the place of origin and whether the rhizomes are

fresh or dry. The odor of ginger depends mainly on its volatile oil, the yield of varies from 1% to

3%. Over 50 components of the oil have been characterized and these are mainly

monoterpenoids, phellandrene, camphene, cineole, geraniol, curcumene, citral, terpincol, borneol

and sesauiterpenoids.

Some of oil components are converted into less odor-defining compounds on drying.

Studies indicate that the rhizome of ginger possesses the following activities: anti- emetic;

promotes secretion of saliva and gastric juices, chalagogue, anti- inflammatory, carminative,

spasmolytic; molluscidal; antischistosomal; peripheral circulatory stimulant; and increases tone

of peristalsis in intestines. Although ginger has been utilized in many studies in both man and

animals, there is a relative dearth of information on its disposition in treated subjects. After bolus

intravenous administration at a dose of 3mg/kg of gingerol, the plasma concentration time curve

was described by two compartment open model. Gingerol was rapidly cleared from plasma with

a terminal half- life of 7.23 minutes and a total of body clearance of 16.8 ml/minutes/kg. Serum

protein binding of gingerol was 92.4%. The results suggest that the ginger methanolic extract

produces greater effects in comparison with the ethyl acetate extract in fructose included

hyperlidemia associated with insulin resistance.

Kingdom Plantae
(Unranked) Angiosperms
(Unranked) Monocots
(Unranked) Comelinids
Order Zingiberales
Family Zingiberaceae
Genus Zingiber
Species Z. Officinale
Botany

Luya is an erect, smooth plant arising from thickened, very aromatic rootstocks.

Leafy stems are 0.4 to 1 meter high.

Distribution

Ginger is widely cultivated in the Philippines. It is nowhere naturalized and also a native of

tropical Asia.

Constituents

A methanol extract yielded the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, alkanoids, and tannins. The

most biologically active phenolic compounds, gingerols, and shogaols, are found in the root.

Properties

Extracts and active constituents have shown potent antioxidant, anti- inflammatory,

antimutagenic, antimicrobial and possible anticancer activities. Pungency is attributed to the

purgent principle, zingerone and shogaol, while the aroma is imparted by the volatile oil.

Parts Utilized

The following are the parts that was utilized, these are the tops, leaves, and edible roots.
Uses

In terms of nutritional uses ginger has one of the most popular flavoring agents.

Folkloric

In the Philippines, pounded rhizome, alone or mixed with oil, used as revulsive and

antirheumatic. While in Ayurvedic medicine, used for inflammation and rheumatism.

Local and Foreign Studies

 Anti – oxidant – Several studies have shown that ginger is endowed with strong in vitro

and vivo anti- oxidant action of ginger has been proposed as one of the major possible

mechanisms for protective actions of the plant against toxicity and lethality of radiation.

 Anti – inflammatory and Analgesic Activities – The anti- inflammatory properties of

ginger have been known for countries.

 Effect on Blood pressure – Several pieces of evidence, mainly from rat studies, have

suggested that ginger extracts many direct and indirect effects on blood pressure and

heart rate.

 Effect of ginger on gastro intestinal – The powdered rhizome has been used for long in

traditional medicine for alleviating the symptoms of gastro intestinal illnesses.

 Nausea and Vomiting – Reviewed the evidence for the usefulness of the ginger against

nausea and vomiting from six clinical studies. Three on post- operative nausea and

vomiting were identified and two of these suggested that ginger superior and equally

effective as methocol pramide.

 Tissue and Radio Protective effects of ginger – Several extorts and fractions of Z.

Officinale have been shown to protect against chemically – Induced tissue damage.

 Effect on Muscle Tone – Traction test was carried out in accordance with convention

method.