BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Ginger may reduce nausea caused by chemotherapy, U.S. researchers said Thursday.

    People who started taking ginger capsules several days before a chemo infusion had fewer and less severe bouts of nausea afterward than others who were given dummy capsules, the study found.

    "We were slightly beside ourselves" to see how much it helped, said study leader Julie Ryan of the University of Rochester in New York.

    Medicines do a good job of curbing vomiting, but nearly three-fourths of chemo patients still suffer nausea, which can sometimes be worse, Ryan said.

    "Patients ask all the time, 'What else can I do?'" said Ryan.

    Ginger has long been touted for stomach upsets, ranging from motion sickness to morning sickness during pregnancy.

    Ryan said it was not exactly clear how ginger helps relieve nausea in these patients. "There is other research that shows it is a potent anti-inflammatory agent in the gut," she told reporters.

    She said it might be possible to get the same effect by eating ginger cookies, depending on how much ginger is used.

    The results will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, beginning May 29 in Orlando, Florida.

    (Agencies)