Photo Credit: Mescioglu

Low-dose oral ginger supplementation may improve asthma symptom control, according to a randomized, placebo-controlled study published in Pharmaceuticals. Charles W. Emala, MD, and colleagues evaluated ginger’s effects on asthma control among 32 adults with mild-to-moderate uncontrolled asthma. The participants took 1 g of ginger twice daily for two months and continued their conventional asthma therapies throughout the study. The primary outcomes—tolerance to inhaled methacholine and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)—showed no significant changes with ginger supplementation. However, secondary outcomes revealed improvements in asthma symptom control, as measured by the Asthma Control Test, Juniper Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and a 2-week symptom recall test by day 28. Additionally, ginger modulated asthma-associated cytokines IL-13 and IL-17A. The researchers concluded that a small dose of ginger supplement may improve symptoms and reduce inflammation in patients with asthma.