title: Is ginger effective for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome? A double blind randomized controlled pilot trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ginger is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but no data exists about its effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double blind randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five IBS patients were randomly assigned to three groups: placebo, 1g of ginger, and 2g of ginger daily for 28 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  The IBS severity scale (IBS-SS) was administered, as well as adequate relief of symptoms scale. A responder was defined as having at least 25% reduction in IBS-SS post-treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 57.1% responders to placebo, 46.7% to 1g and 33.3% to 2g of ginger. Adequate relief was reported by 53.3% on placebo and 53.3% in both ginger groups combined. Side effects were mild and reported by 35.7% in the placebo and 16.7% in the ginger groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This double blind randomized controlled pilot study suggests ginger is well tolerated but did not perform better than placebo. Larger trials are needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, United States. Electronic address: Tilburg@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Miranda A L
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Tilburg
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, United States.
authors.forename: Olafur S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Palsson
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, United States.
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ringel
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, United States.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Whitehead
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009657:North Carolina; D015990:Placebo Effect; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Ginger; Irritable bowel syndrome; Placebo; Randomized controlled trial