Therapeutic potential of ginger against COVID-19:Is there enough evidence?
- Author:
Jafarzadeh ABDOLLAH
1
;
Jafarzadeh SARA
;
Nemati MARYAM
Author Information
1. Department of Immunology,School of Medicine,Kerman University of Medical Sciences,Kerman,7616913555,Iran;Department of Immunology,School of Medicine,Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences,Rafsanjan,7718175911,Iran
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
SARS-CoV-2;
Ginger;
Immunomodulation;
Anti-viral;
Anti-inflammatory;
Anti-oxidative
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences
2021;8(4):267-279
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
In addition to the respiratory system,severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)strikes other systems,including the digestive,circulatory,urogenital,and even the central nervous system,as its receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is expressed in various organs,such as lungs,intestine,heart,esophagus,kidneys,bladder,testis,liver,and brain.Different mechanisms,in particular,massive virus replication,extensive apoptosis and necrosis of the lung-related epithelial and endothelial cells,vascular leakage,hyper-inflammatory responses,overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators,cytokine storm,oxidative stress,downregulation of ACE2,and impairment of the renin-angiotensin system contribute to the COVID-19 pathogenesis.Currently,COVID-19 is a global pandemic with no specific anti-viral treatment.The favorable capabilities of the ginger were indicated in patients suffering from osteoarthritis,neurodegenerative disorders,rheumatoid arthritis,type 2 diabetes,respiratory distress,liver diseases and primary dysmenorrheal.Ginger or its compounds exhibited strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative influences in numerous animal models.This review provides ev-idence regarding the potential effects of ginger against SARS-CoV-2 infection and highlights its antiviral,anti-inflammatory,antioxidative,and immunomodulatory impacts in an attempt to consider this plant as an alternative therapeutic agent for COVID-19 treatment.
