Originally published July 24 2005
Scientists to study if ginger reduces nausea from chemotherapy
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The side effects of chemotherapy are numerous, and nausea is just one of them, but NutraIngredients.com reports that scientists from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center are testing to see if ginger would be helpful in treating the side effect, since it is well known for treating nausea from other causes.
Ginger has been used for thousands of years to prevent or treat nausea, leading researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center to believe that the plant could also help people with cancer avoid the nausea induced by chemotherapy.
Typically, chemotherapy patients take anti-nausea drugs that help them avoid this unpleasant side effect.
But for some people, two to five days after receiving chemotherapy, a second wave of nausea may hit.
Researchers are studying whether capsules of a standardized form of ginger can help relieve this delayed nausea.
The trial, which is currently seeking patients, plans to enroll 180 adults with any kind of cancer at 10 sites throughout the US.
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: low-dose ginger, high-dose ginger or placebo, taking the pill twice a day for three days after completing a chemotherapy infusion.
They also receive their standard anti-nausea drugs, which vary depending on the type of chemotherapy being given.
Recent research has found ginger to be effective at relieving nausea related to motion sickness, post-operative recovery and pregnancy.
"It appears from previous studies to be very safe with very few side effects, and it tends to be inexpensive, whereas current anti-nausea drugs can be expensive," said lead investigator Suzanna Zick.
Funding for the trial is from the National Cancer Institute, Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
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