Antibacterial activity and medicinal properties of ginger (Zingiber officinale) in Bangladesh

Abstract

The rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (garden ginger) have been used since primeval times as a traditional remedy for gastrointestinal complaints. The health-promoting perspective of ginger is accredited to its rich phytochemistry. The most active ingredients in ginger are the pungent principles, particularly gingerols and shogaols. The emergence of new pathogenic bacteria resistant to most, if not all, currently existing antimicrobial agents has become a fundamental problem in modern medicine, particularly because of the affiliated increase in immunosuppressed inhabitants worldwide. This observation particularly calls for the in vitro examination of crude ginger extract collected from local and imported varieties of ginger available in Bangladesh and provide an update analysis of ginger use against Salmonella typhi, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio cholerae and Staphylococcus aureus with a focus on the types and presentations of ginger available. We also examine the pharmacokinetic properties of ginger and highlight the type and posology of ginger and its metabolites. However, local variety of Zingiber officinale Roscoe has more effective antimicrobial property compared to hybrid varieties.