A Prospective Study on Hypolipidaemic Effects in Fresh and Dried Ginger Varieties

Abstract

Background:The secretion of VLDL is influenced by the availability of apolipoprotein (apo) B in the liver and the activities of regulatory enzymes involved in the assembly and transport of VLDL, including microsomal transfer protein and acyl-coenzyme A (CoA):cholesterol acyltransferase . Dyslipidemia is well known factor to increase incidence of heart diseases. This may lead to development of atherosclerotic plaques which is major etiological factor for establishing coronary artery disease (CAD). Hypolipidemic drugs used in allopathy include Statins, Fibric acids, Niacin, and Resins but all have their low compliance due to frequent side effects. Medicinal herbs like Onion and Ginger are hypolipidemic agents commonly used as flavoring agents and making foods spicy and tasty. We have compared hypolipidemic potential between these two medicinal herbs.

Methods: The study  was conducted at Ghurki Trust teaching hospital, Lahore from January to June 2017. Eighty secondary hyperlipidemic patients were enrolled after getting written consent which was approved by Ethics committee of the hospital. They were divided in two equal groups comprising 40 patients in each group. Group-I was treated by Ginger 10 grams daily in three divided doses for 2 months. Group-II was advised to take Onion 200 grams daily in divided amount with each meal i.e., breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two months.

Results: After two months therapy it was observed by statistical analysis that 10 grams ginger reduced TC (total cholesterol) of 38 hyperlipidemic patients 12.4 gm/dl and LDL-C (low density lipoprotein cholesterol) 27.3  mg/dl. In group-II, onion reduced TC in 35 patients 17.9 mg/dl and LDL-C 14.8 mg/dl. Changes in tested parameters are significant biostatistically with p-values <0.01 to <0.001.

Conclusion: We concluded from this research work that Onion and Ginger reduces risk of CAD by decreasing plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.