Effect of Red Ginger Extract (Zingiber officinale Roscoe var. rubrum) and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus) Combination Gel on Reducing Primary Dysmenorrhea in Adolescents
Department of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang, Indonesia
Supriyadi
Department of Nursing, Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang, Indonesia
Bedjo Santoso
Department of Dental Health, Poltekkes Kemenkes Semarang, Indonesia
Abstract
Primary dysmenorrhea affects a substantial proportion of adolescent females and poses a significant barrier to daily functioning. While NSAIDs are a mainstay of treatment, growing interest surrounds herbal alternatives due to their favorable safety profiles. This study evaluated the efficacy of a topical gel formulated with red ginger (Zingiber officinaleRoscoe var. rubrum) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) extracts in alleviating menstrual pain among adolescents. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was used involving 34 purposively selected nulliparous adolescents aged 18–23 years with primary dysmenorrhea. The intervention group applied 1 g of herbal gel three times daily for three days, while the control group received warm compresses with matching frequency. Pain intensity was measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), with prior training and pilot testing conducted to ensure measurement consistency. Due to non-normal data distribution, non-parametric tests were applied. Results showed significant reductions in pain within both groups (p < 0.01). Effect sizes ranged from large to very large (r = 0.743–0.883), indicating clinically meaningful improvements. Although the mean pain reduction difference between groups was marginal (∆mean = 4.6859 vs. 4.647) and statistically non-significant (p > 0.05), the herbal gel demonstrated sustained analgesic effects and better practicality.The combined red ginger and lemongrass extract gel proved effective in reducing primary dysmenorrhea and presents a promising, low-risk adjunctive therapy. This gel may serve as a first-line complementary approach prior to pharmacologic intervention.
Saputri, M. I. D., Supriyadi, & Santoso, B. (2026). Effect of Red Ginger Extract (Zingiber officinale Roscoe var. rubrum) and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus) Combination Gel on Reducing Primary Dysmenorrhea in Adolescents . JURNAL KEBIDANAN, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.31983/jkb.v16i1.12989
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