title: Efficacy of Ginger for Alleviating the Symptoms of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.
abstract: There has been no attempt to date to synthesize the available evidence for the efficacy of ginger for treating primary dysmenorrhea. This systematic review evaluates the current evidence for the effectiveness of ginger for treating primary dysmenorrhea.
  
  
  
  Literature searches were conducted using 12 electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Korean databases, Chinese medical databases, and Indian scientific database. Search terms used were: "ginger" or "Zingiber officinale" and "dysmenorrhea" and "pain." Studies using ginger as a treatment of primary dysmenorrhea were considered for inclusion. The major outcome of primary dysmenorrhea was assessed using a pain visual analogue score (PVAS).
  
  
  
  Initial searches yielded 29 articles. Of these original results, seven met specific selection criteria. Four of the RCTs compared the therapeutic efficacy of ginger with a placebo during the first 3-4 days of the menstrual cycle and were included in the meta analysis. The meta-analysis of these data showed a significant effect of ginger in reducing PVAS in subjects having primary dysmenorrhea (risk ratio, -1.85; 95% CI of -2.87, -0.84, P = 0.0003). Six RCTs out of 7 exhibited low to moderate of risk of bias.
  
  
  
  Collectively these RCTs provide suggestive evidence for the effectiveness of 750-2000 mg ginger powder during the first 3-4 days of menstrual cycle for primary dysmenorrhea.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of R&D, Daily Manufacturing Inc., Rockwell, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Daily
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Obesity/Diabetes Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Obesity/Diabetes Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Da Sol
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Obesity/Diabetes Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sunmin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Dysmenorrhea; Ginger; Pain Visual Analog Scale; Randomized Clinical Trials; Systematic Review