Effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale R.) on lipids in rats fed atherogenic diet

Effect of administering ginger (Zingiber officinale R.), one of the commonl y consumed spices, on high-fat-fed rats was studied for a period of 10 week s. Ginger was given at two different doses, 35 mg and 70 mg/kg body weight, made into a coarse solution with distilled water and administered orally b y intragastric intubation daily. There was a significant decrease in the le vels of cholesterol, phospholipids, and free fatty acids in the tissues (li ver, intestine, kidney and aorta) and serum of the ginger-treated rats. Lev els of serum triglyceride were also significantly reduced in the ginger-tre ated groups. Supplementation of the control and high-fat-fed rats with ging er increased the concentration of HDL and decreased the concentration of LD L and VLDL in the serum as compared with the levels in the rats not receivi ng the supplement. Thus, dietary intake of ginger was found to reduce the r isk of atherosclerosis markedly by virtue of its hypolipidemic and antiathe rogenic effects.