Anti-inflammatory effects of Zingiber officinale in type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract

Purpose: Low-grade inflammation, a common feature in type 2 diabetes (DM2), causes some chronic complications in these patients. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-?) and the acute phase protein hs-CRP in DM2 patients as a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial. Methods: A total of 64 DM2 patients randomly were assigned to ginger or placebo groups and received 2 tablets/day of each for 2 months. The concentrations of IL-6, TNF-? and hs-CRP in blood samples were analyzed before and after the intervention. Results: Ginger supplementation significantly reduced the levels of TNF-? (P = 0.006), IL-6 (P = 0.02) and hs-CRP (P = 0.012) in ginger group in comparison to baseline. Moreover, the analysis of covariance showed that the group received ginger supplementation significantly lowered TNF- a (15.3 آ± 4.6 vs. 19.6 آ± 5.2; P = 0.005) and hs-CRP (2.42 آ± 1.7 vs. 2.56 آ± 2.18; P = .016) concentrations in comparison to control group. While there were no significant changes in IL-6 (7.9 آ± 2.1 vs. 7.8 آ± 2.9; P > .05). Conclusion: In conclusion, ginger supplementation in oral administration reduced inflammation in type 2 diabetic patients. So it may be a good remedy to diminish the risk of some chronic complications of diabetes. é 2013 by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.