Ginger (Adarakh)
Also known as
Latin : Zingiber officinarum
English : Ginger
Sanskrit : Ardrakam
Hindi : Adarak
Marathi : Ale
Tamil:Inci
Telugu : Allamu
Malayalam : Erukkilangu, inji
Kannada : Hasisunti
How it looks—It is a slender, perennial, rhizomatous herb, with yellowish green flowers and long leaves. The rhizomes are white to yellowish brown in colour and irregularly branched.
What we use—Rhizomes (raw and dry states)
What it does—Raw—thermogenic, carminative, laxative, digestive
Dry—thermogenic, appetiser, laxative, stomachic, stimulant, aphrodisiac, expectorant, anthelmentic, carminative.
How we use it—
To
improve appetite and digestion—Mix Trikatu (rock salt, pepper and long pepper) in some ginger juice and gargle a few times to acquire a strong appetite and power of digestion.
In
indigestion—The decoction of dry ginger and rock salt is very helpful intackling undigested material
In
jaundice—Take a tsp of powder of dry ginger with some jiggery twice a day for free passage of stools and as a liver tonic.
In
ascites—Take equal quantities of ginger juice and milk every day after both your meals.
In
diarrhoea—Boil dry ginger and khaskhas roots in a glass of water and take thrice a day to arrest loose motions.
In
cholera—Add some dry ginger powder to decoction of the flesh of bael fruits and take this twice a day to arrest vomiting and diarrhoea.
In
piles—Make small balls of dry ginger and jaggery and eat one twice a day to reduce the masses and allow free passage of stools.
In
colicky pain—Equal parts of sonth, til seeds and jaggery should be pasted and drunk with milk twice a day.
In
colds / asthmatic attacks—Ginger tea—Crushed ginger is added to water boiling for tea and tea is prepared with this water .Take this tea to decrease inflammation and relieve
congestion and body ache.
In
asthma, a few garlic cloves may be added to the above tea. Ginger may be mixed with mustard oil and applied externally on the chest to relieve congestion.
In ear aches—Warm a little ginger juice and instill a few drops in the ear to relieve pain and clear infected material.
In
arthritic joints—A decoction of dry ginger and castor roots should be taken every morning for lubrication of joints and relief from pain.
In
blood in urine—Boil 1 tsp of dry ginger in a glass of milk and drink twice a day to arrest the bleeding.
In
allergic rashes—Crush some old jaggery in ginger juice and take twice a day to soothe the rashes.
In
hiccough—Mix jaggery and ginger juice and instill a few drops in the nostrils to stop hiccups.
In
heart disease—Take a hot decoction of dry ginger after the morning meal daily to keep heart disease in check.
In
toothaches—Apply a paste of dry ginger on the outside of the cheek at the point of pain.
On
stings—Dry ginger paste mixed in yogurt is an effective topical application to reduce the swelling.
In
scrotal swelling—Apply a mixture of dry ginger and salt solution on hydroceles to reduce pain and swelling.
Modern Studies
Experimental studies proved that ginger juice and its extracts improved gastric emptying and thereby were effective against gastro-intestinal disturbances. It was shown that ginger
along with garlic significantly reduces blood glucose and serum lipids in experimental studies on rats.
