Ginger [Zingiber officinale] has been used since many years in the various disciplines of medicine to treat multiple ailments. It is used in various forms like ginger tea, paste, jam, candy, preserved slices as home remedies. Various types of ginger extracts like cold or hot water extract, ethanolic, methanolic, hexanic or chloroform extract, soyabean oil extract or in the form of essential oil are used to study it’s properties. Ginger possesses anti inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiangiogenesis, antineoplastic, hypolipidemic and antihyperglycemic properties. It’s antimicrobial potential has been studied by many researchers and found that ginger exhibited antimicrobial property more against Gram positive than Gram negative organisms possibly due to the difference in their cell wall structure. Ginger also inhibited the growth of mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli. Growth of human respiratory syncitial virus was inhibited by the ginger. It was also observed that ginger inhibited the growth of commonly observed fungal infections like candida albicans and aspergillus niger. Various studies revealed antiparasitic and antihelminthic actions of ginger. It has promising activity against Trichomonas vaginalis and Toxoplasma gondi infections as the drugs used for the treatment of these infections like metronidazole or sulphonamides are contraindicated in pregnancy. Ginger does not carry any teratogenic potential. Extensive clinical studies involving various forms of ginger, if conducted will encourage it’s usage as supportive antimicrocbial agent to treat infections which will help to overcome antimicrobial resistance.
