The Effectiveness of Ginger in Controlling Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting; A Review

Background Chemotherapy is considered as the main part of systemic cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is associated with adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of oral administration of ginger in controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).Materials and Methods: This review was conducted with a systematic search of electronic resources in English, including Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE with no time limit from inception up to January, 2021 to find research articles related to the effect of ginger on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting using the following keywords: (Nausea OR Vomiting) AND (Ginger OR Herbal OR Matricaria Chamomilla) AND (Chemotherapy OR Iran OR Iranian).Results: Thirteen studies involving on the effectiveness of ginger in controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) were found and reviewed. Inconsistent results were reported about the effects of ginger on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Nine studies have shown beneficial effects, while four studies did not report any significant difference with the control group. According to one study, ginger is as effective as metoclopramide in controlling chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea.Conclusion: The present study recommends the use of ginger as a non-pharmacological and uncomplicated method to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting.