Ginger

GINGER, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, a perennial herbaceous plant from the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Cultivated in China, India, Africa, and tropical America. The rhizome of the plant is used (Fig. VII). In commerce, ginger is found in two forms: 1) unpeeled, dark-colored, flat, sometimes branched pieces, 2-8 cm long, and 2) peeled ginger of white color; taste is spicy-hot, odor is aromatic. Active constituents: essential oil (2%), consisting of cymene, C10H14, and phellandrene, C10H16; gingerol - the pungent principle that gives ginger its taste; starch. Used as a spice and stomach remedy (carminativum and stomachicum). In powder (Pulvis Zingiberis) - 0.5-2.0 g, in tincture (Tinctura Zingiberis) - 15-25 drops. Included in: Aqua aromatica spirituosa (Austrian pharmacopoeia), Electuarium aromaticum and Tinctura aromatica (Soviet pharmacopoeia). The oil is used for liqueurs. Gingerol (according to the work of Garnett and Grier, 1917) contains a number of aldehydes and ketones; Namura isolated from it a new substance - zingerone, C11H14O3, crystals melting at 40°, pharmacologically uninvestigated and not yet used in medicine.