EFFECT OF ZINGIBER OFFICINALE ETHANOLIC EXTRACT ON LIVER AND KIDNEY FUNCTIONS IN RATS

Thesis Overview

<p><b>1.0 INTRODUCTION</b></p><p><b>1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY</b>&nbsp;</p><p> Ginger (Zingiber officinale, Roscoe) is a herbaceous rhizomatus perennial plant that is widely cultivated in warm climatic regions of the world such as Nigeria, Taiwan, India, Jamaica and the United States of America. The rhizome contains a spectra of biologically active compounds and several other types of lipids that confers on ginger the characteristic medicinal properties of being pungent and a stimulant (Yoshikawa et al., 1993; Bliddal et al., 2000). Ginger is a worldwide cultivated rhizome, which is used for various medicinal purposes and as a spice. Some of the undocumented ethno medicinal uses of the peeled rhizome part of the plant, when it is chewed raw, processed or decocted include stimulation of salivary duct secretion, alleviation of toothache, nasal decongestion, cold, cough and asthma. Other uses are as a diuretic, expectorant, anti rheumatic, carminative as well as in infective hepatitis and other forms of liver diseases (Gill, 1992). Ginger is reported to have various pharmacological activities like antiemetic, antiulcer, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities (Ahmed and Sharma, 1997). Ahmed et al (2000) has shown that addition of ginger (1%) to normal diet of rats prevent formation of free radicals and maintain the integrity of erythrocytes. Ginger is used in Sudan as spice in coffee and tea, recently ginger has been used in folkloric medicine for treatment of hypercholestermia and hyperlipidemia. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Z.officinale ethanolic extract on c liver and kidney functions in Wistar albino rats. <br></p>