The Study
Ginger extract suppresses the activations of NF-κB and Wnt pathways and protects inflammatory arthritis
This study gave ginger to sick rats and saw that their joints got less swollen and their body chemicals changed. But that doesn't mean ginger will help people with arthritis — rats aren't people, and this was just one small experiment.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave ginger to rats with swollen, painful joints to see if it helped.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 516 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These changes suggest ginger may protect joints from damage in this rat model, but it’s not proven to work the same way in humans.
- 2Rats given ginger had lower levels of inflammation markers (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17), less joint tissue damage, higher sclerostin, and lower DKK-1 than rats not given ginger.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Rheumatology
Year
2021
Authors
B. Öz, C. Orhan, M. Tuzcu, N. Şahin, I. Özercan, Pınar Öner, Süleyman Serdar Koca, V. Juturu, K. Şahi̇n
Related Content
Claims (6)
Female Wistar rats with collagen-induced arthritis that received daily ginger extract by mouth for 32 days showed lower arthritis scores compared to those that did not.
In female Wistar rats with collagen-induced arthritis, daily oral ginger root extract at 50 mg/kg for 32 days is associated with lower levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17 in the blood, reduced NF-κB and COX-2 in joint tissue, and less severe joint inflammation.
In female Wistar rats with arthritis, daily ginger extract for 32 days increases sclerostin and decreases DKK-1 in the blood, which is linked to less bone erosion.
In female Wistar rats with arthritis, daily ginger extract at 50 mg/kg for 32 days reduces levels of NF-κB and COX-2 proteins in tissues.
In female Wistar rats with arthritis induced by collagen, daily oral ginger extract at 50 mg/kg for 32 days is associated with reduced joint tissue damage, including less swelling of the joint lining, fewer inflammatory cells in the joint, and less destruction of cartilage and bone.
Ginger reduces the activity of nuclear factor kappa B, a protein that turns on genes involved in inflammation.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.