Ginger
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) belongs to the Zingiberaceae plant family, which also includes turmeric and cardamom. Ginger comes from the Sanskrit word "horn-root." It grows in Jamaica, India, Haiti, Hawaii, and Nigeria. This perennial plant grows 3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m) tall. It has thin, sharp leaves 6–12 in (15–30 cm) long. The tangled, beige root is used medicinally, and can be 1–6 in (2.5–15 cm) in length. The root has a sharp, pungent taste and aroma.
Ginger contains several chemical components as outlined by Michael Murray, N.D. in The Healing Power of Herbs :
starch (50%)
protein (9%)
lipids (including glycerides, phosphatidic acid, lecithins, and fatty acids; 6-8%)
protease (2.26%)
volatile oils (including gingerol, shogoal, zingiberene, and zingiberol; 1-3%)
pungent principles
vitamins A and B3 (niacin)
The pungent principles (including the volatile oil gingerol) are the most medicinally potent because they inhibit prostaglandin and leukotriene formations (products in the body that influence blood flow and inflammation). They also give ginger its pungent aroma.
Capsaicin
Folk accounts of capsaicin's medicinal properties in the form of cayenne have includeCapsaicind aiding digestion, promoting the sweating process to create cooling (for reducing a fever ), fighting infections, and stimulating the function of the kidneys, lungs, stomach, and heart. Research on capsaicin's ability to decrease pain has been in the areas of chronic pain, arthritic pain, migraine pain, and neuropathic cancer pain. It appears to interfere with chemicals that facilitate pain messages to the brain. Capsaicin has a hyperemic effect, which means that it increases blood flow similar to when an area is inflamed. When applied to the skin in cream form, the area becomes red, warm, and may become slightly swollen. Many individuals experience a localized burning sensation when a cream containing capsaicin is applied to the skin. However, with repeated use, the burning sensation usually disappears, and pain relief is noted. The burning or stinging sensation may last a few weeks for some. Capsaicin appears to work through a mechanism that initially causes a hypersensitivity to pain, and then ends in pain relief.
Several clinical studies performed on the effectiveness of various formulations of capsaicin have demonstrated that a majority of patients experience a reduction in pain and few or minor side effects. Capsaicin has been reported to have an effect against H. pylori, and also some antimicrobial properties. It appears to protect the lining of the digestive tract from harm due to aspirin use. Capsaicin has also showed an inhibitory effect on skin carcinogenesis in mice and a suppression of proliferation of human cancer cells.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an element (Mg) with an atomic weight of 24.312 and the atomic number 12. In its elemental form, magnesium is a light, silver-white metal. It is a cation, which means that its ion has a positive charge. Of the cations in the human body, magnesium is the fourth-most abundant. Ninety-nine percent of the body's magnesium is contained within its cells: about 60% in the bones, 20% in the muscles, 19%–20% in the soft tissue, and 1% circulates in the blood. Important to both nutrition and medicine, magnesium, like calcium and phosphorus , is considered a major mineral. Magnesium in its carbonate and sulfate forms has been used for centuries as a laxative. The name of the element comes from Magnesia, a city in Greece where large deposits of magnesium carbonate were discovered in ancient times.
Magnesium is an important element in the body because it activates or is involved in many basic processes or functions, including:
cofactor for over 300 enzymes
oxidation of fatty acids
activation of amino acids
synthesis and breakdown of DNA
neurotransmission
immune function
interactions with other nutrients, including potassium , vitamin B6, and boron
Magnesium has a number of general uses, primarily in standard allopathic medicine, but also in some alternative therapies.