Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-associated, irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe memory loss, unusual behaviour, personality changes, and a decline in cognitive function. It is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly and is regarded as the pandemic of the 21st century, imposing enormous social and economic burdens on patients and their families. Indian researchers at the Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, report that ginger may provide "multiple therapeutic molecular targets of AD and can be considered as an effective nontoxic nutraceutical supplement for AD. Methanolic extract of dry ginger  showed therapeutic properties by acting on various molecular targets of AD. Ginger has no known acute toxicity at the usual doses consumed for dietary or medicinal purposes. In experimental trials, ginger at a dose as high as 2 g daily has been shown to be well tolerated by both experimental animals and humans with occasional reports of mild gastrointestinal complaints. Hence, ginger can be regarded as an effective herbal supplement for AD therapy. Further studies with in vivo models of AD are necessary to confirm the therapeutic role of whole ginger extract.

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