Introduction: Ginger, a widely used medicinal plant, has long been valued in traditional medicine. It is a significant source of bioactive phytochemicals, with gingerol being its most potent bioactive compound. Gingerol exhibits a strong anticancer potential due to its low toxicity and phenolic properties. One important form of gingerol is 6-gingerol, which possesses antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. By inhibiting angiogenesis, regulating the cell cycle, and inducing cell death, 6-gingerol effectively targets cancer cells and exerts its therapeutic effects.
This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the anticancer properties of 6-gingerol and its mechanism of action, highlighting the therapeutic potential of this compound.
Methods: For this review article, the Google Scholar database was utilized. By employing an advanced search within this database, articles were limited to a temporal range of 2019 to the present. Subsequently, through an examination of relevant keywords, the articles were categorized and scrutinized
Results: Results of studies on 6-gingerol indicate that this compound exerts its anticancer properties through multiple mechanisms:
Cell cycle regulation: 6-gingerol induces cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) by decreasing cyclin D1 expression and increasing p21 expression. Additionally, 6-gingerol inhibits the translation of cyclin-dependent kinases essential for the G1 and G2 phases of the cell cycle, thereby affecting cell division.
Induction of cell death: 6-gingerol promotes apoptosis in cancer cells by preventing cell proliferation. Apoptosis, a promising pathway for cancer treatment, is mediated by caspases. Increasing concentrations of 6-gingerol lead to increased levels of caspases and PARP. This compound stimulates the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in cancer cells by activating caspase-3 and -9 and increasing DNA fragmentation. The activation of the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway is observed with 6-gingerol, which reduces mitochondrial activity in breast cancer cells.
Inhibition of angiogenesis: 6-gingerol reduces the possibility of metastasis by inhibiting angiogenesis and decreasing cell motility.
Conclusion: According to review studies, 6-gingerol, an active phytochemical and phenolic compound in fresh ginger, exhibits significant therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. Research has demonstrated that 6-gingerol exerts its anticancer effects through mechanisms such as inducing apoptosis, regulating the cell cycle, and inhibiting angiogenesis. The majority of studies in this field have been conducted in vitro, and clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of 6-gingerol in humans. Furthermore, future research should focus on investigating molecular mechanisms and the interactions of this compound with other drugs
Keywords: Gingerol – anticancer – cancer – 6gingerol – antitumor