Plants are rich sources of natural compounds that serve as blueprints for chemical entities that can be synthesized into new and improved compounds. For centuries, people have harnessed the power of ginger to support wellness and health. Ginger has therapeutic effects on chronic conditions in humans. Mechanistic evidence from clinical trials indicates that ginger helps improve symptoms and biomarkers of pain, chronic metabolic diseases, and gastrointestinal conditions. Ginger compounds reduce inflammation, which contributes to pain; promote vasodilation, which regulates blood pressure; inhibit cholesterol production, which helps regulate the blood lipid profile; translocate glucose transporter type 4 molecules to the plasma membrane to support glycemic control; stimulate fatty acid breakdown to aid body mass management; and inhibit activation of serotonin, muscarinic, and histaminergic receptors to reduce nausea and vomiting.

Cancer remains a formidable global health challenge, demanding an ongoing search for innovative and effective therapeutic approaches. Anticancer plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds with remarkable potential in the fight against cancer. Ginger has long been celebrated in traditional medicine and harbors an array of phytochemicals, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoids, which exhibit diverse biological activities, including pronounced anticancer properties. Epidemiological studies have shown that ginger polyphenols can be used in anticancer prophylaxis and therapeutics by recruiting mechanisms, including antioxidant activities, and by modulating several molecular events associated with carcinogenesis. Pharmacological studies have shown that ginger regulates oncogene expression, induces tumor cell apoptosis, inhibits tumor cell metastasis, blocks the tumor cell cycle, and exerts other antitumor effects. In the context of cancer, the compounds in ginger exhibit anticancer activity and serve as lead compounds and chemical scaffolds for the synthesis of improved compounds. [6]-Shogaol is one of the main bioactive principles of dried ginger. Investigations of this compound have shown cytotoxic potential and apoptosis-inducing activity in lung, prostate, gastrointestinal, gynecological, breast, neurological, and hematologic cancer cells.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies ginger as Generally Recognized as Safe in spices and in essential oils, oleoresins, and extracts, according to its regulations. The German Commission E Monographs report no known side effects or drug/ginger interactions. The Committee for Herbal Medicines (HMPC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) reports that ginger can be used to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness and chemotherapy.

Ivan A. Ross, Biologist (Retired), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), participated in planning and conducting toxicology research projects and in developing related programs and policies to ensure alignment with the needs of the United States' food programs and responsibilities. He also developed, validated, and documented advanced analytical methods for specific specimens, compounds, or classes of compounds as needed to improve efficiency and ensure accuracy. Dr. Ross has published several research articles and four reference books: Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional, and Modern Medicinal Uses, and the series Plant-Based Therapeutics: Volume One, Cannabis sativa; Volume Two, The Brassicaceae Family; Volume Three, Allium sativum; and Volume Four, Zingiber officinale.