Among the Possible Cures for Cancer, Ginger Root Stands Out
Finding a cure for cancer would be considered one of humankind’s most remarkable achievements. And we’re getting closer.
A recent episode of HBO’s Vice showed impressive results in treating cancer with otherwise harmful viruses such as measles and HIV. But could there be an even easier cure for cancer?
According to Reset.me, several studies show that the potent ginger root may be as effective as chemotherapy in combating certain types of cancer.
The website points to a 2007 study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, that found ginger held a particularly favorable ability—one that could battle ovarian cancer, one of the most deadly cancers for women.
“Ginger inhibits growth and modulates secretion of angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells,” the study states. “The use of dietary agents such as ginger may have potential in the treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer.”
In another study conducted by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, ginger showed the ability to kill ovarian cancer cells in a lab.
“The breakthrough could be truly groundbreaking, since cancer that is treated with chemo has a tendency to recur and can build up resistance to it over time,” reports Reset. “If ginger can kill the cancer outright, that’s a far better solution.”
But it’s not just ovarian cancer: A 2012 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed ginger’s ability to fight against prostate cancer—a disease so common that one in six men will be afflicted by it in the U.S.
“Whole ginger extract (GE) exerts significant growth-inhibitory and death-inductory effects in a spectrum of prostate cancer cells,” the study states. “Comprehensive studies have confirmed that GE perturbed cell-cycle progression, impaired reproductive capacity, modulated cell-cycle and apoptosis regulatory molecules and induced a caspase-driven, mitochondrially mediated apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells.”
While ginger is not currently being used as a clinical cancer cure, it does show promise in fighting the disease with less damaging options than chemotherapy and radiation. But note that the levels of ginger used in these studies were significantly concentrated and you should never aim to self-diagnose or treat any disease without consulting with your primary care physician first.
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Ginger root image via Shutterstock