Ginger Root Extract for Sciatic Pain Individuals (NCT06817018)
Ginger and the Microbiota-gut-brain Connection in Sciatic Pain Individuals
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Neuropathic pain affects the quality of life of many Americans. Non-pharmacological strategies such as bioactive compounds in foods are being explored as therapeutics but can also serve as tools to better understand pain mechanisms. The previous study reported that ginger root extract supplementation palliated pain-spectrum behaviors in animals with neuropathic pain via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. The proposed study is primarily designed to use ginger supplementation for a better understanding of the role of microbiota-gut-brain interactions in sciatica states in a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial. Eighty participants with sciatica will be randomized to receive placebo (2000 mg starch daily) or ginger (2000 mg daily) for 8 weeks. This study will evaluate the effects of ginger supplementation on gut function measured as gut microbiota composition using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis, intestinal permeability based on plasma lipopolysaccharide binding protein and fecal zonulin using ELISA, and fecal metabolites using LC-MS/MS analysis (SA 1); on neuroinflammation in whole blood mRNA using nCounter® Neuroinflammation Panels analysis (SA 2); and on pain-associated outcomes and brain neuroplasticity by assessing functional (resting state-fMRI) and structural (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) connectivity (SA 3).
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center — Lubbock, Texas
Age range: 18 Years to 85 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (2 Sites)
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center — Lubbock, Texas
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center — Lubbock, Texas
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (806) 743-2815
Email: leslie.shen@ttuhsc.edu
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Neuropathic Pain
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- Daily, Encapsulated, Green Tea Extract to Mitigate Neuropathic Pain in Patients With Established Cancer-Associated Neuropathic Pain — Birmingham, Alabama
- Ultrasound for Peripheral Nerve Modulation — Stanford, California
- Brain Connectivity Changes With Spinal Cord Stimulation and Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Resting State NIRS/EEG Study — Cleveland, Ohio
- Proof of Concept Trial of Cannabis Derivatives in Neuropathic Pain — San Diego, California
Explore by condition: All Neuropathic Pain clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.