title: Effects of Zingiber cassumunar (Plai cream) in the treatment of delayed onset muscle soreness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of Zingiber cassumunar (Plai cream) in either 7% or 14% concentration on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five untrained healthy volunteers (28 males and 47 females), performed 4 sets of 25 eccentric repetitions of the dominant quadriceps muscle on an isokinetic dynamometry machine. Participants were then randomized into 3 groups: 14% Plai cream, 7% Plai cream and placebo cream. Two grams of the cream (strips of 5-cm long) were gently rubbed into the quadriceps muscles for 5 min immediately following the exercise and every 8 h thereafter for 7 d in all groups. Muscle soreness, muscle strength, jump height, thigh circumference and creatine kinase were measured before and after eccentric exercise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the placebo cream the 14% Plai cream substantially reduced muscle soreness over the 7 d by -82% (95% CI = -155% to -6%, P = 0.03), but had similar muscle soreness effects to 7% Plai cream (-34%, -96% to 27%, P = 0.2). Compared to the placebo cream the 7% Plai cream resulted in a small non-significant reduction in muscle soreness levels over the following 7 d (-40%, -116% to 36%, P = 0.3). Compared to placebo cream there was little effect of Plai cream (7% or 14%) on muscle strength, jump height, thigh circumference or creatine kinase concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using 14% Plai cream over a 7-day period substantially reduced muscle soreness symptoms compared to 7% Plai cream or a placebo cream. The authors suggest that the administration of 14% Plai cream is a useful alternative in the management of DOMS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Thai Clinical Trial Registry TCTR20140215001.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nuttaset
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manimmanakorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Apiwan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manimmanakorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, Ubonratchathani Rajabhat University, Ubonratchathani, 34000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Disaphon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boobphachart
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Science, Uttaradit Rajabhat University, Uttaradit, 53000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Worrawut
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thuwakum
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wiroon
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Laupattarakasem
authors.affiliation: Department of Tourism, Sport and Society, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hamlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D063806:Myalgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009824:Ointments; D030521:Zingiberaceae
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D003402:Creatine Kinase