Abstract
Background
Ginger has been used throughout the world as a therapeutic agent for centuries. The
herb is increasingly used in Western society also, with one of the most common indications
being pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting (PNV).
Objectives
To examine the evidence for the safety and effectiveness of ginger for PNV.
Methods
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of ginger and PNV were sourced from CINAHL, the
Cochrane library, MEDLINE and TRIP. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed
using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool.
Results
Four RCTs met the inclusion criteria. All trials found orally administered ginger
to be significantly more effective than placebo in reducing the frequency of vomiting
and intensity of nausea. Adverse events were generally mild and infrequent.
Conclusion
The best available evidence suggests that ginger is a safe and effective treatment
for PNV. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the maximum safe dosage of ginger,
appropriate duration of treatment, consequences of over-dosage, and potential drug–herb
interactions; all of which are important areas for future research.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 30, 2012
Accepted:
August 4,
2012
Received in revised form:
July 30,
2012
Received:
April 13,
2012
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2012 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
