Ginger in Ayurvedic Preparations and Its Applications in the Development of Nutraceuticals, Dietary Supplements and Functional Foods and Their Beneficial Effects in Various Biological Activities

Abstract

Ayurveda is the traditional Indian arrangement of medicine, which highlights preferential health prevention, and delivers action against sickness while also dealing with pharmaceutical science. Various plants and/or their parts are used in a number of Ayurvedic and Siddha formulations, among them, ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is one of the most important species, and has a long history of therapeutic practice dating back 2500 years. Ginger is an extensively utilized food constituent and has been regularly recommended as a therapy for various symptoms, and it has also been applied in the treatment of several diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction, emesis, cancer, bone disorders and vascular disorders, with clinical evidence. More than 400 bioactive components have been identified in ginger, among them, gingerols, shogaols, paradols and zingerone are the most important bioactive components, which have been shown to have various biological activities. This chapter highlights the chemistry, biological activities and therapeutic applications of ginger and various Ayurvedic formulations with ginger, and their uses and applications in different dietary supplements, nutraceuticals and functional foods. Furthermore, this chapter aims to inspire new scholars and industrialists to work on several fields to enable the growth and upgrading of Siddha and Ayurveda.