Investigating the Effect of Ginger Essential Oil on Reducing CINV Symptoms in Cancer Patients: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Abstract

Purpose This study investigates the effect of ginger essential oil compared to the control group on the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients who were referred to Omid Clinic in Tehran.

Methods: This study was a double-blind randomized clinical study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a placebo group. Using a convenience sampling method, 79 subjects referring to Omid Clinic in Tehran were selected. The subjects were randomly selected and placed in two groups of ginger and placebo. Then, the RINVR questionnaire was given to the subjects in the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software.

Results: The results revealed no significant difference between the mean scores of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in the ginger and placebo groups in the pre-test (P>0.05). In the post-test and follow-up stages, ginger could significantly reduce CINV compared to the placebo group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, ginger essential oil can reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.