Protective effect of ginger, Zingiber officinale Rose on experimental atherosclerosis inrabbits

摘要

The effects of air dried ginger powder (0.1 g/kg body weight, po, for 75 days) were studied on experimentally induced atherosclerosis in rabbits by cholesterol feeding (0 3 g/kg body weight, po). Cholesterol feeding for 7.5 days lead to distinct development of atheroma in the aorta and coronary arteries of the rabbits and this was significantly inhibited by about 50% following ginger administration. There was distinct decrease in lipid peroxidation and enhancement of fibrirtolytic activity in gingertreated animals. However, ginger did not lower blood lipids to any significant extent. This distinct protection from the development of atherosclerosis by ginger is probably because of its free radical scavanging, prostaglandin inhibitory and fibrinolysrs enhancing properties.