Phase II trial of encapsulated ginger as a treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
OBJECTIVE
Ginger has been used to treat numerous types of nausea and vomiting. Ginger has also been studied for its efficacy for acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). However, its efficacy for delayed CINV in a diverse oncology population is unknown.


METHODS
We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 162 patients with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy and had experienced CINV during at least one previous round of chemotherapy. All participants were receiving a 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and/or aprepitant. Participants were randomized to receive either 1.0 g ginger, 2.0 g ginger daily, or matching placebo for 3 days. The primary outcome was change in the prevalence of delayed CINV. Secondary outcomes included acute prevalence of CINV, acute and delayed severity of CINV, and assessment of blinding.


RESULTS
There were no differences between groups in the prevalence of delayed nausea or vomiting, prevalence of acute CINV, or severity of delayed vomiting or acute nausea and vomiting. Participants who took both ginger and aprepitant had more severe acute nausea than participants who took only aprepitant. Participants were able to accurately guess which treatment they had received. Ginger appeared well tolerated, with no difference in all adverse events (AEs) and significantly less fatigue and miscellaneous AEs in the ginger group.


CONCLUSIONS
Ginger provides no additional benefit for reduction of the prevalence or severity of acute or delayed CINV when given with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and/or aprepitant.
Zick
Suzanna M
SM
Departments of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. szick@med.umich.edu
Ruffin
Mack T
MT
Lee
Julia
J
Normolle
Daniel P
DP
Siden
Rivka
R
Alrawi
Sara
S
Brenner
Dean E
DE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077608:Aprepitant; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009025:Morpholines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009025:Morpholines; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D000077608:Aprepitant