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                            HEALTH: GINGER / ASTHMA

   Ginger - whether it`s fresh, powdered or pickled - adds zest to all
   sorts of dishes. The spicy root can also help asthma sufferers breathe
   a bit easier.
   Many common drugs used to relieve the effects - medications known as
   beta-agonists - work by relaxing the smooth muscles constricting the
   bronchial tubes, enabling air to flow in and out of the lungs more
   easily. Researchers at Columbia University, working with human
   bronchial tissue samples, found that purified components of ginger can
   significantly increase the relaxing effects of such medicines.
   In a presentation to the International Conference of the American
   Thoracic Society, Elizabeth Townsend explained that the ginger
   components inhibit an enzyme and a protein structure which play a role
   in constricting the smooth bronchial muscles. "By understanding the
   mechanisms by which these ginger compounds affect the airway," Townsend
   notes, "we can explore the use of these therapeutics in alleviating
   asthma symptoms."
   The researchers say they plan to study whether an aerosol spray to
   deliver these ginger compounds might be helpful in treating asthma
   attacks.
   The U.S. National Institutes of Health estimates that 300 million
   people worldwide suffer from asthma.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/health-ginger--asthma/1664081.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/health-ginger--asthma/1664081.html