Ginger lightheadedness.

Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 22:13:02 +0200
Sender: HERB.TREARNPC.EGE.EDU.TR
From: Daniel Wong <Daniel.Wong.PING.BE>
Subject: ginger toxicity levels

Paul Iannone wrote:
> Ginger beer can burn the stomach, so be careful. Also, ginger is a --hallucinogen-- in strong doses, so have a caution in that regard as well.

Paul: I eat ginger fried about 50-100 pieces of about ½ cm by 2cm and I haven't hallucinated yet. I guess it must be more dangerous raw. How much is dangerous cooked? What about raw? Is there an accumulative effect in the liver?

From: Paul Iannone <p_iannone.POP.COM>

: Paul: I eat ginger fried about 50-100 pieces of about ½ cm by 2cm and I haven't hallucinated yet. I guess it must be more dangerous raw. How much is dangerous cooked? What about raw? Is there an accumulative effect in the liver?

Eating that much ginger is probably doing your stomach no good. The hallucinogenic effect is pronounced, but you may not be particularly sensitive to it. Yes, raw may be an issue.

From: Paul Iannone <p_iannone.POP.COM>

: Paul Iannone wrote that ginger could be dangerous in high doses, as it was hallucinogenic. I beg to differ. Could Paul be getting his spices mixed up? It is _nutmeg_ that is hallucinogenic, and is the drug of choice in some prisons. Not ginger.

No, nutmeg is indeed also a hallucinogen. Ginger is listed in 'Medical Botany' by Lewis, as a probable hallucinogen in high quantity. I have gone beyond that stance, because I have experienced the effects of very strong ginger extract. It is an aromatic drug in high dose. The mechanism is unknown, but the effect is a pronounced and rather delightful lightheadedness and a sense of silly drifting (as an herbalist, both of these would be considered aromatic effects).

My reasoned initial response was something like: 'Woh.'