Therapeutic efficacy of 6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol in promoting browning of white adipocytes vis-à-vis enhanced thermogenesis portrayed in high fat milieu

Isolation of 6-gingerol and semi-synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines derivatives: An in-situ pharmacokinetics properties, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation assessments

This paper outlines a methodical approach for isolating 6-gingerol (1a) from Zingiber officinale Roscoe rhizomes on a gram-scale, resulting in a product of high purity and significant yield. Further, 6-gingerol (1a) [SSG1] derivatives, including 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)decane-3,5-dione (1ab), were synthesized via a semi-synthetic pathway involving DMP-mediated fast oxidation and replication. Subsequently, a new series of 1,4-benzodiazepines (3a-c) was synthesized quantitatively using a basic technique. This synthesis necessitated the interaction of 1ab with various o-phenylenediamine (2a-c) compounds. Spectroscopic methods were employed to characterize the synthesized 1,4-benzodiazepines (3a-c)[SSG2, SSG3 & SSG4]. Despite extensive investments by pharmaceutical companies in traditional drug research and development for diseases like type 2 diabetes (T2D), successful treatments remain elusive. Medication repurposing has gained traction as a strategy to address not only diabetes but also other disorders. Leveraging existing molecular pharmacology data accelerates the development of new medications. This paper underscores the importance of repurposing traditional medicines to combat a range of communicable and non-communicable diseases, offering a promising avenue for therapeutic advancement. Additionally, molecular docking studies suggested that one derivative (SSG2) exhibited stronger binding affinity compared to the reference standards. Overall, the findings of this study highlight the potential of semi-synthetic gingerol derivatives for the development of novel therapeutic agents.

A modified system using macrophage-conditioned medium revealed that the indirect effects of anti-inflammatory food-derived compounds improve inflammation-induced suppression of UCP-1 mRNA expression in 10T1/2 adipocytes

Recently, it has been suggested that brown and beige adipocytes may ameliorate obesity because these adipocytes express uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1), which generates heat by consuming lipid. However, obesity-induced inflammation suppresses the expression of UCP-1. To improve such conditions, food components with anti-inflammatory properties are attracting attention. In this study, we developed a modified system to evaluate only the indirect effects of anti-inflammatory food-derived compounds by optimizing the conventional experimental system using conditioned medium. We validated this new system using 6-shogaol and 6-gingerol, which have been reported to show the anti-inflammatory effects and to increase the basal expression of UCP-1 mRNA. In addition, we found that the acetone extract of Sarcodon aspratus, an edible mushroom, showed anti-inflammatory effects and rescued the inflammation-induced suppression of UCP-1 mRNA expression. These findings indicate that the system with conditioned medium is valuable for evaluation of food-derived compounds with anti-inflammatory effects on the inflammation-induced thermogenic adipocyte dysfunction.

Polyphenol-Rich Ginger (Zingiber officinale) for Iron Deficiency Anaemia and Other Clinical Entities Associated with Altered Iron Metabolism

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is rich in natural polyphenols and may potentially complement oral iron therapy in treating and preventing iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). This narrative review explores the benefits of ginger for IDA and other clinical entities associated with altered iron metabolism. Through in vivo, in vitro, and limited human studies, ginger supplementation was shown to enhance iron absorption and thus increase oral iron therapy's efficacy. It also reduces oxidative stress and inflammation and thus protects against excess free iron. Ginger's bioactive polyphenols are prebiotics to the gut microbiota, promoting gut health and reducing the unwanted side effects of iron tablets. Moreover, ginger polyphenols can enhance the effectiveness of erythropoiesis. In the case of iron overload due to comorbidities from chronic inflammatory disorders, ginger can potentially reverse the adverse impacts and restore iron balance. Ginger can also be used to synthesise nanoparticles sustainably to develop newer and more effective oral iron products and functional ingredients for IDA treatment and prevention. Further research is still needed to explore the applications of ginger polyphenols in iron balance and anaemic conditions. Specifically, long-term, well-designed, controlled trials are required to validate the effectiveness of ginger as an adjuvant treatment for IDA.

Effects of cutting and drying method (vacuum freezing, catalytic infrared, and hot air drying) on rehydration kinetics and physicochemical characteristics of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)

The purpose of this study was to discuss the effects of cutting methods (transverse cutting [TC] and longitudinal cutting [LC]) and drying methods (vacuum freeze-drying [FD], hot air drying [HD], catalytic infrared drying [CID]) on rehydration kinetics and physical and chemical characteristics of rehydrated ginger. The research results showed that the rehydration rate and equilibrium moisture content increased with an increase in temperature. LC samples had a higher rehydration rate, while TC samples showed higher equilibrium moisture. Peleg model can fit the rehydration curve of the sample well. The highest coefficient of determination (R2 ) was 0.99, while the sum of squares error and lowest chi-square (χ2 ) was close to zero. Compared with fresh samples, the rehydrated ginger slices had lower gingerol content, total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and higher antioxidant activity. The different cutting methods had no significant effect on the physical and chemical properties of rehydrated ginger. In conclusion, TC-CID rehydrated products have better retention of gingerol, TPC, TFC, and antioxidant properties, which was similar to the principal component analysis. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results of this study show that transverse cutting combined with catalytic infrared drying is a unique processing technology. Due to the short xylem of transverse cutting ginger, the xylem diameter can be restored during rehydration, the balanced water content was high, and the quality of dried ginger can be restored to the greatest extent. This makes food processors competitive in the operation process and provides better services to consumers.

Ginger from Farmyard to Town: Nutritional and Pharmacological Applications

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the most widely used natural products consumed as a spice and medicine for treating diabetes, flatulent intestinal colic, indigestion, infertility, inflammation, insomnia, a memory booster, nausea, rheumatism, stomach ache, and urinary tract infections. To date, over 400 bioactive components, such as diarylheptanoids, gingerol analogues, phenylalkanoids, sulfonates, monoterpenoid glycosides, steroids, and terpene compounds have been derived from ginger. Increasing evidence has revealed that ginger possesses a broad range of biological activities, especially protective effects against male infertility, nausea and vomiting, analgesic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and other effects. The pharmacological activities of ginger were mainly attributed to its active phytoconstituents such as 6-gingerol, gingerdiol, gingerol, gingerdione, paradols, shogaols, sesquiterpenes, zingerone, besides other phenolics and flavonoids. In recent years, in silico molecular docking studies revealed that gingerol (6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 10-gingerol) and Shogaol (6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, 10-shogaol) had the best binding affinities to the receptor protein in disease conditions such as diabetes, inflammation, obesity, and SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, some clinical trials have indicated that ginger can be consumed for alleviation of nausea and vomiting induced by surgery, pain, diabetes, obesity, inflammation, male infertility. This review provides an updated understanding of the scientific evidence on the development of ginger and its active compounds as health beneficial agents in future clinical trials.