November 11, 2003 – The ginger rhizome is believed to contain a substance that can prevent the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus from reproducing.
Japanese researchers have tested the effectiveness against SARS of three Chinese herbal remedies used in the fight against the common cold for hundreds of years. All three products contained an extract of ginger rhizome.
They found that, in lab tests, this extract appeared to slow the spread of the virus. After a period of 30 hours, the amount of virus in cells protected by ginger root extract was 50% less than in unprotected cells.
The World Health Organization recently clarified that it could take two to five years to develop a vaccine against SARS.
The SARS epidemic first struck a year ago, infecting 8,000 people and claiming 774 lives. China, where the first cases were detected, says it has put in place a more effective surveillance system that will allow it to detect the virus upon its return, if necessary.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to CNN.com and AFP; November 6 and 11, 2003.