In a recent ACR Hotline to physicians, the College reiterated a statement issued February 1998 stating that they do not support the use of Zinaxin for arthritis. Zinaxin is a registered trade name for a commercially available ginger root extract.
The ACR points out that there are no controlled published research data that prove that Zinaxin or other ginger root extracts have any significant biological or clinical effect in patients with osteoarthritis or other rheumatic conditions. In addition, there are no published data to determine preferential effects on COX-1 or COX-2. There are limited studies that show evidence that ginger may reduce prostaglandin and leukotriene production in vitro. However, the mechanisms underlying the antiemetic effect of ginger are uncertain. A multicenter, controlled clinical trial of ginger extract for treatment in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is currently underway.
