Stability-indicating RP-HPLC method for the determination of 6-gingerol in polyherbal formulations

Encapsulation of gingerol into nanoliposomes: Evaluation of in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity

Nanoliposomes (NLs) are ideal carriers for delivering complex molecules and phytochemical products, but ginger by-products, despite their therapeutic benefits, have poor bioavailability due to their low water solubility and stability. Crude ginger extracts (CGEs) and 6-gingerol were individually encapsulated within NLs for in vitro activity assessment. In vitro evaluation of anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties of encapsulated 6-gingerol and CGE was performed on healthy human periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of 6-gingerol reached 25.23% and 2.5%, respectively. NLs were found stable for up to 30 days at 4°C with a gradual load loss of up to 20%. In vitro cytotoxic effect of encapsulated 6-gingerol exceeded 70% in the MDA-MB-231 cell line, in a comparable manner with non-encapsulated 6-gingerol and CGE. The effect of CGE with an IC50 of 3.11 ± 0.39, 7.14 ± 0.80, and 0.82 ± 0.55 μM and encapsulated 6-gingerol on inhibiting IL-8 was evident, indicating its potential anti-inflammatory activity. Encapsulating 6-gingerol within NLs enhanced its stability and facilitated its biological activity. All compounds, including vitamin C, were equivalent at concentrations below 2 mg/mL, with a slight difference in antioxidant activity. The concentrations capable of inhibiting 50% of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) substrate were comparable.

Effect-directed analysis of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and its food products, and quantification of bioactive compounds via high-performance thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry

Decision makers responsible for quality management along the food chain need to reflect on their analytical tools that should ensure quality of food and especially superfood. The "4ables" in target analysis (stable, extractable, separable, detectable) focusing on marker compounds do not cover all relevant information about the sample. On the example of ginger, a streamlined quantitative bioprofiling was developed for effect-directed analysis of 17 commercially available ginger and ginger-containing products via high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC-UV/Vis/FLD-bioassay). The samples were investigated concerning their active profile as radical scavengers, antimicrobials, estrogen-like activators and acetylcholinesterase/tyrosinase inhibitors. The [6]-gingerol and [6]-shogaol content of the different products ranged 0.2-7.4mg/g and 0.2-3.0mg/g, respectively. Further, multipotent compounds were discovered, characterized, and for example, assigned as [8]- and [10]-gingerol via HPTLC-ESI-HRMS. The developed bioprofiling is a step forward to new analytical methods needed to inform on the true product quality influenced by cultivation, processing, and storage.