Drug picture of Homoeopathic remedy Zingiber officinalis

Dr Silpa Sasi D

Introduction-Zingiber officinale is a member of the Zingiberaceae plant family, native to East and southern Asia, consisting of 49 genera and 1300 species, 80–90 of which are Zingiber. Its generic name Zingiber is derived from the Greek zingiberis, and the Latin name Zingiber, means shaped like a horn and refers to the roots which resemble a deer^,s antlers.it is  widely used as spice and medicinal plant in folk and traditional medicines.

This article is an attempt to study the drug picture of Zingiber officinalis and its utility in clinical practice .

Key words-Zingiber,Ginger,Homoeopathy,Spices

Common name – Ginger.

Synonyms – Zingiber Officinalis. Amomum Zingiber.

Natural order – Zingiberaceae.

Prover -Franz

Habitat – Native of Asia, but cultivated in the tropical regions of South America, Western Africa, Australia and the West Indies.

Preparation – Tincture from the dried root.

Traditional use -Ginger was used as a medicine and as a spice  in ancient Chinese and Sanskrit writings and also  in  Persian, Arabic, Greek, and Roman texts. In the beginning of the 18^th century, the “Electric Physicians” in the United States used ginger to relieve nausea and intestinal disorders. In China and Japan, ginger is used to treat headache, colds, nausea and related stomach problems,morning sickness. Similarly, ginger has been considered useful for cardiovascular disorders.

Active principles and pathophysiology

Ginger contains approximately 50% carbohydrate, 6 to 8% fatty acids and triglycerides, and 9% protein, free amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. The main bioactive constituents of ginger are volatile oils, soft resins insoluble in ether and oil, gum, starch, lignin, acetic acid, potassium oxalates, acetates, and some sulphur.

• The volatile oils constitute sesquiterpenes, curcumene, geranyl acetate, terpineol, terpenes, geraniol, alpha pinene, limonene, linalool, zingiberene, beta-besabolene, and alpha-farnesene.
• The pungent principles are gingerol, shogaol, zingerone and paradol..
• Gingerol and Shogaol are the major active components for ginger’s pharmacological effects and pungency respectively.
• The main aroma-defining component is zingiberol .
• ANTI VIRAL EFFECTS–Fresh rhizome of officinale has been proven with an antiviral effect against Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) infection via decreasing HRSV-induced plaque formation in respiratory mucosal cell lines. So high concentration of Z. officinale  stimulate mucosal cells to secrete IFN-β which responsible in counteracting viral infections by reducing viral attachment and internalization. And also have effect against calcivirus,H1N1 ,HSV 1,2 etc
• ANTI INFLAMMATORY AND ANTI CANCEROUS– officinale exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic effects due to its bio active molecules such as 6-gingerole, 6-shogaol, 6-paradol and zerumbone, as a result prevention or control from colorectal, gastric ovarian, liver, breast and prostate cancers.

Ailments from–

• Melons
• Impure water
• Typhoid after
• Bread
• Sphere of action—

Through  cerebro-spinal system Zingiber exerts its chief action upon mucous membranes, especially of the digestive and respiratory systems.

GIT-giving rise to irritation and catarrhal inflammation, causes  disturbed digestion,

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM- laryngeal irritation, hoarseness, and cough.

• Mental generals-Cheerful, good-humored, a pleasing sensation in his system

,Asthma without anxiety
Increased activity of brain,

weak memory.
Irritable and chilly, in evening, also during menses.
Nervous and fidgety.

• Sensorium– Dizziness ,Vertigo. Head feels too large. And feels confused .
• Head-Frontal headache over eyes and at root of nose also when he exerts himself followed by nausea

Pressive drawing headache as if r. eye pressing out

Hemicrania; nervous headache.

• Eyes-Smarting and burning in eyes

sensitive to light, with stinging pain in them,feeling as of sand in eyes.

• Nose-Coryza, watery, sneezing, more in open air.

Insupportable itching, tingling in nostrils

,Dryness and obstruction in posterior nares, with discharge of thick mucus.Ozæna

• Ears-Humming in ears.
  Drawing tearing in right ear,tearing at 7 P. M.
• Face -red and hot.

 Drawing, stinging pain from left lower jaw to first incisor at 10 P. M. and in night.
Exhausted look, blue under eyes, before menses.

• Teeth– Painful sensibility of teeth,

with pressive,  Drawing pain in left lower teeth,  at 7 P. M., returns after being in air.

• Mouth-Breath smells foul to herself, as from disordered stomach.
  Great dryness of root of mouth and posterior nares.
  Burning in mouth.
• Stomach.─Belching ,Nausea and vomiting of mucus in drunkards.

Acidity of stomach,Weak digestion, stomach heavy, like a stone.

Heaviness, cannot sleep, feels nervous and fidgety, with cramps in soles and palms. drawing pain from pit of stomach under sternum.

• Abdomen-Heavy pain in right hypochondrium, toward back, < from deep breathing

Stitching pain in left hypochondrium at night

Contractive pain passes through abdomen while standing

Great flatulency in gouty persons.

Chronic intestinal catarrh-Anus red and inflamed.

Hćmorrhoids hot, painful, sore.

• Stool– Diarrhoea from drinking bad water, with much flatulence, cutting pain.

relaxation of sphincter,of brown mucus, in morning followed by nausea .

Hot and painfully sore feeling in anus .

• Urinary system– Frequent desire to urinate.

Stinging, burning in orifice.

Yellow discharge . Urine thick, turbid, of strong odor,

Complete suppression after typhoid.

After urinating, continues to ooze in drops.

Dull aching and hot sensation in kidneys, with frequent desire to urinate..
Urine : thick, turbid ; dark brown ; of strong smell ; clear, bright and in great quantity ; very pale.

• Male genital system– Itching of prepuce.

Sexual desire excited; painful erections.

Emissions. Yellow, nightly discharge from urethra
Excites sexual desire-,Painful erections with Emissions at night.

• Female genital system-Menstruation too early, copious, dark, clotted, with sick and irritable feeling.

exhausted look before and drawing pain in sacrum.
During menses : felt very sick and irritable ; pain in lumbar region, more on left side.

• Respiratory system- Asthma humidum ; loosens the phlegm.

Dry, hacking ; from tickling in larynx or left side of throat  especially in morning, with much expectoration, which she has to swallow ;

Hoarseness. Smarting below larynx; breathing difficult.

Asthma, without anxiety, worse toward morning , copious morning sputa.

• Heart- Fluttering of heart.
  Pulse, hard and full, heat with redness in face
• Extremities- Very weak in all joints.

Back lame.

Cramps in soles and palms. Dull, heavy pain in left vertex and in arms and legs
Drawing and stinging pain in all her limbs, as after taking cold.

• Sleep– Awakens 3 A. M. ; falls asleep again late in morning.
  After a good sleep at night, very sleepy all morning, with frequent yawning.
  Sleepless till toward morning

falls from one dream into another
Dreams : of dancing, throwing somersaults (by an old man), incomplete emissions ; of fire ; frightful ; anxious.,Fire

• Fever- Chilly in open air ; in evening ; chill goes upward.
  Hot and chilly at same time.
  first cold feet, then cold hands.
  Very chilly with faintness and sick-headache.
  Profuse perspiration.
• Skin- Redness ; with heat and stinging.

Itching on scalp, in beard, and on pubic parts.
Reddening of skin, with sensation of heat and stinging.
Red pimples on both sides of ala nasi.

• Sensations-

Griping : in bowels, with loose stools.
Cramps : in soles and palms.
Dull pain : in left vertex, arms and legs ; encircling head ; in right lumbar region.
Pulsating pain : in vertex, right side.
Beating : in left temple ; in left occiput.
Heavy pain : from right hypochondrium to back.
Heaviness : in all her limbs ; in stomach, like a stone ; in lower back ; in upper arms.

earing : in right ear ; along triceps of right arm.
Scratching : in larynx.
Broken feeling : in head ; around hips.
Pulling pain : along triceps of right arm.
Pleuritic pains : through chest.
Rheumatic pains : in backs of hands.
Aching : over eyebrows ; in left temple ; in kidneys ; between shoulders ; in right arm to wrist ; in knees ; in heels.
Burning : in eyes ; in mouth ; in anus ; in orifice of urethra ; in throat ; in larynx ; in feet ; in soles, heels and toes ; in a corn on sole.
Smarting : in eyes ; below larynx ; in throat.

• Clinical indications–

Eczema	Asthma	Breath, offensive	Coryza	.conjunctivitis
Diarrhoea.	Flatulence	Post-nasal catarrh	Spleen, pains	dyspepsia;
Deltoid rheumatism	vomiting of drunkards	Dropsy.	Ozaena..	Seminal emissions
Albuminuria	.chronic intestinal catarrh	Urine, suppressed

• Relationship.–Compare: Calad.
• Antidote: Nux.
• Dose.–First to sixth potency.

REFERENCES

1. Pocket manual of Homoeopathic Materia medica and repertory-Dr William boericke
2. Dissanayake KGC, Waliwita WALC, Liyanage RP. A review on medicinal uses of zingiber officinale (ginger). Int J Health Sci Res. 2020; 10(6):142-148.
3. Krishnapura Srinivasan,Ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale): A spice with multiple health beneficial potentials,PharmaNutrition,Volume 5, Issue 1,2017, Pages 18-28,ISSN 2213-4344,
4. Basil D. Roufogalis Hindawi Publishing Corporation New Journal of Science Volume 2014, Article ID 674684, 15 pages
5. Dictionary of practical Materia medica –J H Clarke
6. Guiding symptoms of Materia medica –C Hering
7. Handbook of Materia Medica and Homeopathic Therapeutics by T.F. Allen
8. A textbook of Materia medica and therapeutics by Dr cowperthwaite

Dr Silpa Sasi D
MD Part I , Department of Materia medica
Under the guidance of Dr Renuka S Patil
HOD Department of Materia medica
Government Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital ,Bengaluru
Shilpasasipkd94@gmailcom