What Pliny Wrote About Ginger, and How It Became a Supplement

Pliny the Elder described ginger in Roman times, and modern extracts are described by their gingerol content. This history covers his account, the nausea and muscle soreness trials, and the compounds the research follows, with each claim tied to its source.

The history of ginger as a supplement starts in ancient natural history, not in the capsule aisle. Pliny the Elder wrote about ginger in his *Natural History*, and he already corrected the idea that ginger was the root of the pepper tree. The rest of the story runs from Roman markets to gingerol extracts, through a set of trials that do not agree with one another. ## What Pliny said about ginger Pliny's account is the oldest source this post uses, and it is brief. Many people, he writes, took ginger for the root of the pepper tree, but it is not. He places the plant in Arabia and Troglodytica, growing in meadows near villages, and describes it as the white root of a small herb. Ginger is very bitter and biting, he says, but it spoils quickly. A pound was commonly sold at Rome for six denarii ([Pliny, *Natural History*, Book 12, Holland translation](http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny12.html)). ## Where ginger grows now, and where it goes The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says ginger is native to the warm parts of Asia and is now grown in parts of South America, Africa and the Middle East ([NCCIH fact sheet](https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger)). The sources checked here do not trace the route between Pliny's Arabian supply and modern production, so this post does not claim one. Ginger also remains a food. A 2023 study notes that ginger oleoresin is widely used as a flavoring agent in many foods ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124331)). For a parallel case, see our [history of turmeric and curcumin](/blog/history/history-of-turmeric-and-curcumin-from-ayurveda-to-isolation), from Ayurveda to isolation. ## Which compounds the research follows The research follows gingerols and shogaols. A 2019 study measured eight compounds in ginger extract, including 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-gingerol, 8-shogaol, 10-gingerol, 10-shogaol and zingerone, and it notes that gingerols and shogaols are recognized as active ingredients ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24030512)). The bioactive components of the 2023 oleoresin are unstable and sensitive to heat, humidity and light ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124331)). Extraction shapes the result. A 2014 study found that gingerol yields depended on the extraction method and the solvent, and that 95% ethanol was the optimal solvent for extracting gingerols ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.12-437)). A 2020 motion-sickness study described its extract by gingerol content: 160 mg containing 8 mg of gingerols ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.curtheres.2020.100591)). ## What the early nausea trials tested One early trial is Grøntved and colleagues' 1988 study. It gave 1 g of powdered ginger root or placebo to 80 naval cadets who were not used to heavy seas, and it recorded symptoms every hour for four hours. Ginger reduced vomiting and cold sweating more than placebo did. The differences for nausea and vertigo were not statistically significant ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.3109/00016488809119444)). NCCIH says most studies of ginger for motion sickness have not shown it to be helpful, so that positive result is one among several. Chemotherapy trials are mixed. In a 28-patient study of delayed chemotherapy nausea, a high-protein meal with ginger reduced nausea and antiemetic use, but the protein-and-ginger group did not differ significantly from the control group ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2007.0817)). A larger randomized trial gave 150 breast cancer patients 500 mg of ginger twice a day for three days. Its nausea scores did not differ significantly, and its vomiting differences were significant only in one chemotherapy subgroup. The authors called for larger studies ([PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27644633/)). For pregnancy, NCCIH says research shows ginger may be helpful for nausea and vomiting. ## What the muscle soreness trials found Two 2010 trials report a benefit. Black and colleagues ran two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with 34 and 40 volunteers. Participants took 2 g a day of raw or heat-treated ginger, or placebo, for 11 days, then did eccentric elbow exercise. At 24 hours, both forms reduced pain compared with placebo, by 25% for raw ginger and 23% for heat-treated ginger ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2009.12.013)). Not every trial agrees. Matsumura and colleagues gave 20 participants 4 g of ginger for five days before eccentric exercise. Ginger improved strength recovery at 48 hours, but it did not influence visual-analog pain scores, and the authors concluded that ginger "does not influence indicators of muscle damage or DOMS" ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5328)). A 2015 systematic review of ginger in sport found that about 2 g a day may modestly reduce muscle pain after eccentric resistance exercise and prolonged running, particularly when taken for at least five days. Its reviewer flagged untrained participants, insufficient adverse-event reporting and no direct comparison with anti-inflammatory drugs ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001098)). Sports supplements have their own history, which our [creatine history](/blog/history/history-of-creatine-from-meat-extract-to-sports-shelf) covers. ## What about safety? When taken by mouth, ginger can cause abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation, according to NCCIH. NCCIH advises talking with a health care provider before using ginger if you take any medicine, because some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways. It says ginger dietary supplements may be safe during pregnancy, but little is known about breastfeeding. ## Bottom line The ginger story has two halves: a Roman market that Pliny describes, and an extract era measured by gingerol content. The trials split by question. NCCIH says research shows ginger may help nausea in pregnancy, while most motion-sickness studies have not shown benefit and chemotherapy nausea remains uncertain. On muscle soreness, the 2010 pair found less pain at 24 hours, but the 2015 trial found no pain effect. Knee osteoarthritis is a third question, and NCCIH says much of that research is of poor quality. See our [glucosamine history](/blog/history/history-of-glucosamine-from-shellfish-to-joint-supplement). ## Frequently asked questions **How did ginger spread along ancient trade routes?** The sources checked here do not trace the full route. Pliny places ginger in Arabia and Troglodytica and reports a Roman market price, while NCCIH says ginger is native to warm parts of Asia. **Which ancient physicians wrote about ginger?** The sources checked for this post name no ancient physician. Pliny, a natural historian rather than a physician, is the earliest author cited here. **What compounds give ginger its heat and activity?** The research follows gingerols and shogaols. The 2019 study measured six of their forms, along with zingerone, and notes that the group is recognized as active ingredients ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24030512)). **How did ginger move from the kitchen to a standardized extract?** Ginger oleoresin is widely used as a flavoring in many foods, as a 2023 study notes ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124331)). Extracts are described by gingerol content, and the extraction method and solvent change the yield ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.12-437)). **What did the early nausea trials test?** Grøntved and colleagues tested 1 g of powdered ginger root against placebo in 80 naval cadets at sea. Ginger reduced vomiting and cold sweating more than placebo did, while the nausea and vertigo differences were not statistically significant ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.3109/00016488809119444)). **Why does ginger appear in both cooking and supplement history?** Because the same plant serves both uses. NCCIH says the rhizome is used in food and for health purposes, and the extracts in the studies cited here are modern. **What do modern trials say about ginger and muscle soreness?** The 2010 pair found pain reductions of about 23% to 25% at 24 hours against placebo ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2009.12.013)). A 2015 trial found no pain effect ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5328)), and a 2015 systematic review called the pain benefit modest ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001098)). ## Next reads - [History of turmeric and curcumin](/blog/history/history-of-turmeric-and-curcumin-from-ayurveda-to-isolation): the sibling origins story, from Ayurveda to isolation. - [History of glucosamine](/blog/history/history-of-glucosamine-from-shellfish-to-joint-supplement): the joint-supplement history that the osteoarthritis section points to. ### Related reading - [The garlic origin story, from ancient remedy to allicin](/blog/history/history-of-garlic-from-pyramid-workers-to-allicin)