Jakarta (Indonesia Window) - As the Novel Coronavirus outbreak takes place, inaccurate information about the efficacy of red ginger that could cure the sufferers is circulating.

"Until now there has been no evidence that red ginger is an antiviral, specifically for the Corona SARS-CoV-2 virus," Masteria Yunovilsa Putra, Head of the Center for Drug Discovery and Development Research Group at the Biotechnology Research Center, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said.

He explained that red ginger could help relieve the symptoms of the respiratory disease, but did not cure or kill the virus, according to LIPI’s website quoted here on Tuesday.

According to him, red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum) contains gingerol and shogaol, compounds that are responsible for immunomodulators effects for increasing human immunity.

"This effect prevents the Coronavirus infection and helps the recovery of patients," he explained.

In addition, red ginger also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

"In general, the Coronavirus causes excessive inflammation symptoms in the lungs. The anti-inflammatory effect in red ginger can relieve these symptoms," Masteria explained.

Red singer can also help lower blood pressure, prevent bacterial infection, reduce uric acid, protect liver from toxins (hepatoprotections), reduce cholesterol levels, increase sexual desire (aphrodisiac), prevent chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular and diabetes in the elderly.

Characteristics

Red ginger is one of the superior types of ginger rhizome plants because it has higher active compound contents than those other ginger varieties.

Morphologically, red ginger has red to light orange-coloured rhizome, sharp aroma and spicy taste.

Indonesian people have been long using red ginger as a raw material for traditional medicines and spices for daily cooking.

Reporting by Indonesia Window