Yellow Ginger Plant Extract Health Benefits, Uses & Side Effects

Yellow ginger is a common name for turmeric (Curuma longa). It is also sometimes used to refer to Hedychium flavescens, a perennial flowering plant, but this use is far less common. Both of these plants are members of the ginger plant family, known as the Zingiberaceae family, which includes over 1,300 species of aromatic plants.

This article focuses on the history and use of turmeric and discusses some of the current research of the therapeutic uses of turmeric and its bioactive constituents.

The name turmeric is often used to describe the spice derived from the roots of Curcuma longa, as well as to refer to the plant itself. Turmeric or yellow ginger has a long history of use in both culinary and medicinal traditions throughout Asia, particularly East Asia.

Turmeric

Herbal Supplement

Joints

Heart Health

Anti- Aging

How It Works:

• Contains anti-inflammatory curcuminoids
• Promotes brain & cardiovascular health
• Supports the immune system & anti-oxidant enzymes

Dosage:

Between 400 - 1800 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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Yellow Ginger Benefits

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Yellow Ginger is used to treat infections, gastrointestinal upset, arthritis, stress and depression.

Yellow Ginger extract is now known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As such, it is used for a number of conditions that involve inflammation and oxidation, including arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, skin conditions, autoimmune disorders and more.

The primary bioactive molecule in Yellow Ginger is curcumin. Curcumin is a polyphenol concentrated in the plant’s yellow rhizomes and is responsible for providing the rhizomes with their distinctive pigment. Rhizomes are underground stems that run horizontally and allow the plant to spread.

Curcumin is a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize free radical that, if left unchecked, can damage cells, DNA and cell membranes.

Curcumin has also been observed to inhibit two enzymes involved in inflammation, which may partially explain why turmeric has long been used as an anti-inflammatory. Turmeric has also demonstrated some anti-cancer properties in laboratory experiments.

While a great deal of research has been conducted on turmeric and curcumin in animal and laboratory experiments, more research is needed to understand all of the plant’s therapeutic uses in humans.

Common Uses

Aside from its use in curries, turmeric and its resin are used as a colorant and flavor in food manufacturing. Essential turmeric oil is also used in perfume manufacturing.

Applied topically in creams, ointments or in poultices, turmeric is used to treat infections and infected wounds, leech bites, ringworm, oral mucosa inflammation, eye infections, bruising, analgesia (inability to experience pain) and inflammatory skin conditions.

Taken orally, yellow ginger is used to treat various conditions and diseases, including:

• arthritis;
• autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and plaque psoriasis;
• certain types of cancer;
• asthma, bronchitis and respiratory infections;
• symptoms and long-term management of diabetes mellitus;
• abdominal pains, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, gas, bloating, nausea and dyspepsia (indigestion);
• appetite loss, fever, common cold and headaches;
• hepatitis, gallbladder conditions, jaundice and liver disease;
• major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

There are varying levels of scientific evidence to support turmeric’s many uses.

One of the reasons why it is used for so many conditions may be its strong anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is being increasingly tied to the development and progression of many different disorders, some of which are discussed below.

Effects on Inflammation

Short term or acute inflammation is part of a healthy immune response and plays an important role in healing. During periods of acute inflammation, blood and immune cells rush to an affected area to ward off infection and clear away damaged tissue. This is responsible for the redness and swelling we often associate with injury.

While acute inflammation is important, prolonged or chronic inflammation is being tied to the development and progression of many diseases, including arthritis, type II diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s, to name a few.

Preliminary research indicates Yellow Ginger root extract can work against chronic inflammation by inhibiting a number of enzymes and constituents involved in chronic inflammation.

Digestion & Stomach Upset

The Yellow Ginger plant is traditionally used to treat indigestion or dyspepsia. The German Commission E (the regulatory body that oversees the prescription of herbals in Germany) has approved the use of this herbal extract for dyspepsia.

In studies, turmeric has been observed to increase the flow of bile in the gastrointestinal tract, which may support improved digestion.

Cancer Research

Preliminary laboratory and animal studies indicate that Yellow Ginger and curcumin exhibit anti-cancer activities, but more research is needed to understand what effect, if any, they have on the development and progression of human cancer in the body.

Yellow Ginger’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are of interest to cancer researchers. The Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes that while there is some evidence of turmeric’s anti-cancer properties, more research is needed to verify its use in human cancer.

Sloan Kettering notes that Yellow Ginger has been observed to help prevent colon, skin and stomach cancer in rats exposed to carcinogenic compounds. In addition, curcmin has been observed to prevent the spread of cancer cells when it is applied directly to the cells in a laboratory environment. [3]

Is Yellow Ginger Safe?

The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates Yellow Ginger as “Likely Safe” when taken orally and appropriately.

Daily doses of 2.2 g were used safely for eight consecutive months. Daily doses of 4000 mg have been used without significant side effects for 30 days. Single doses of 12 g have caused no reported ill effects. [1] Side effects are rare.

Yellow Ginger may interact with a number of prescription and over-the-counter medications, including anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-platelet, p450 cytochrome substrate medications.

Yellow Ginger extract and curcumin may not be suitable for individuals with certain conditions and diseases, including individuals suffering from type II diabetes, hormone-sensitive cancers, gallbladder conditions, liver disease and other conditions.

Speak with your doctor before taking yellow ginger powder for medicinal purposes.

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