[Pharmacological studies on Zingiber mioga (ZM) (1). General pharmacological effects of water extracts (author's transl)]

In the central nervous system, ZM decreased locomotor activity and potentiated hypnosis of hexobarbital-Na in mice. ZM had little hypothermic action and there were no anticonvulsive effects on chemoconvulsion and electroconvulsion shock. ZM, 3 mg/kg i.v. produced a sleep-like pattern in the spontaneous EEG activity of cat; from 20 to 30 min. after injection, spindle burst-like waves (12-13 Hz) appeared in the cortex and subcortex. These EEG activities were antagonized by atropine sulfate. In the respiratory and cardiovascular system, ZM, 1 mg/kg or over produced a fall in blood pressure and stimulated respiration in dogs. This hypotensive action was antagonized by atropine sulfate and diphenhydramine hydrochloride, and tachyphylaxis was observed in blood pressure. This compound inhibited cardiomotility in isolated toad heart, had little effect on peripheral blood flow, and produced contractions of isolated guinea pig ileum which were inhibited by atropine by sulfate. Regarding inflammatory response, ZM showed inhibitory effects on the acute edema induced serotonin and dextran. These results indicate that water extracts of ZM have cholinergic actions and in peripheral tissues, histaminergic-like actions.