Effects of Zingiber officinale in complementary care for postoperative complications: A systematic review

Introduction: Postoperative complications are among the most common complications related to surgery or anesthetics, leading to longer treatment duration and extended hospitalization. So, we decided to explore the clinical outcomes of Zingiber officinale or ginger on postoperative complications. Methods: This study adhered to the PRISMA ۲۰۲۰ guidelines. To find relevant studies published before April ۲, ۲۰۲۵, a comprehensive search was done in Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PubMed/MEDLINE. Predefined criteria for including and excluding studies were applied and duplicate entries were eliminated. The data extraction process concentrated on study characteristics, interventions, and key outcomes. Results: The included studies demonstrated that Z. officinale was generally effective in alleviating the severity and frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) compared to standard antiemetics, with several studies reporting a significant decrease in nausea intensity, reduced need for antiemetic medications and improved patient satisfaction. However, the incidence of vomiting was not consistently affected. Moreover, aromatherapy with ginger showed variable effectiveness, with some studies indicating borderline or non-significant effects. Regarding postoperative pain, ginger demonstrated comparable analgesic effects to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in several trials, with significant pain reduction observed. Additional benefits included reduced postoperative shivering, anxiety scores, and decreased severity of post-cesarean abdominal distention. However, effects on bowel function and ileus were inconsistent. Conclusion: Z. officinale shows promise as a safe complementary treatment for reducing postoperative complications in various surgical settings. However, additional clinical research is necessary to draw a more definitive conclusion.