Title:Anti-Cancer Effect of Gingerol in Cancer Prevention and Treatment
VOLUME: 21 ISSUE: 4
Author(s):Sana Nafees, Md. Zafaryab, Syed H. Mehdi, Bushra Zia, Moshahid A. Rizvi and Md. Asad Khan*
Affiliation:Genome Biology Lab., Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, Genome Biology Lab., Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, Genome Biology Lab., Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, Genome Biology Lab., Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, Genome Biology Lab., Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025
Keywords:Cancer, signaling pathways, gingerol, nuclear factors, β-catenin, NF-κB.
Abstract:Cancer is one of the most lethal diseases in the world. Because of the high death rate associated with
cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, patients require alternative strategies for its
treatment. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has enormous medicinal properties and health benefits. In this review, we
discuss the basic mechanism by which gingerol (an active component of ginger) modulates a variety of cell
signaling pathways linked to cancer, including Nuclear Factors (NF-κB), Signal Transducer and Activator of
Transcription 3 (STAT3), Activator Protein-1 (AP-1), β-catenin, Growth Factors Receptors (EGFR, VEGFR);
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPK) and pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α and COX-2). Both in
vitro and in vivo studies support the role of gingerol in cancer. The efficacy of gingerol by clinical trials has also
been reported. Importantly, natural agents are already in clinical trials against various kinds of cancer. An effort
has been made through this comprehensive review to highlight the recent developments and milestones achieved
in cancer therapies via studies based on different cell lines using gingerol.