I.E.Cockab
aBiomolecular and Physical Sciences, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
bEnvironmental Futures Centre, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
Pharmacognosy Communications,2012,2,2,79-81
DOI: 10.5530/pc.2012.2.13
Published:April 2012
Type: The Janus Corner
ABSTRACT
A recent study published in Cancer Prevention Research has highlighted the potential of ginger (Zingiber officinale) in the prevention of colorectal cancer.[1] It was reported that ginger root extract inhibited the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) which is involved in the production of inflammatory eicosanoids, and particularly of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ). This is a significant finding as previous studies have linked the up-regulation of PGE2 with the events associated with the early development of colorectal cancer.[2] It has previously been shown that ginger extracts can downregulate COX in cultured cell lines[3] and has also been linked to lowering the incidence of colon cancer in rats.[4] The recent Cancer Prevention Research study tested the effects of a daily dose of ginger extract on the levels of PGE2 and other important ecosanoid biomarkers in healthy human volunteers as an indicator of cancer prevention. A significant decrease in the levels of PGE2 and 5-HETE, as well as a trend towards significant decreases in 12-HETE and 15-HETE were observed when normalised to free arachidonic acid. The authors.Read more. . .