'A new study published in the journal Arthritis compared ginger extract to the common drugs betamethasone (cortisone) and ibuprofen for the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
While ibuprofen is a popular pain remedy (such as Advil or Motrin), in this study it showed no effect on cytokine production. Cytokines are immune-regulating substances that can have inflammatory effects on the body, and are therefore linked to pain.
In this study, both betamethasone and ginger extract reduced cytokines in comparable amounts. The authors of the study indicate that, “ginger extract was as effective an anti-inflammatory agent as betamethasone in this in vitro model.”'