Preparation, pungency and bioactivity of gingerols from ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe): a review

• Published in: Critical reviews in food science and nutrition Vol. 64; no. 9; pp. 2708 - 2733
• Main Authors: Gao, Yuge, Lu, Yujia, Zhang, Na, Udenigwe, Chibuike C., Zhang, Yuhao, Fu, Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: bioactivity; Biological activity; Capsaicin receptors; Catechols; Cell signaling; Chemical synthesis; Cosmetics; Fatty Alcohols - chemistry; Fatty Alcohols - pharmacology; Food; Food industry; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Ginger; Gingerol; In vitro methods and tests; Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmaceuticals; Physiochemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; pungency; Pungent principles; Signal transduction; Transient receptor potential proteins; transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1; Zingerone; Zingiber officinale; pungency; Gingerol; bioactivity; ginger; transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1
• ISSN: 1040-8398; 1549-7852
• DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2124951

Ginger has been widely used for different purposes, such as condiment, functional food, drugs, and cosmetics. Gingerols, the main pungent component in ginger, possess a variety of bioactivities. To fully understand the significance of gingerols in the food and pharmaceutical industry, this paper first recaps the composition and physiochemical properties of gingerols, and the major extraction and synthesis methods. Furthermore, the pungency and bioactivity of gingerols are reviewed. In addition, the food application of gingerols and future perspectives are discussed. Gingerols, characterized by a 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl moiety, are divided into gingerols, shogaols, paradols, zingerone, gingerdiones and gingerdiols. At present, gingerols are extracted by conventional, innovative, and integrated extraction methods, and synthesized by chemical, biological and in vitro cell synthesis methods. Gingerols can activate transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and induce signal transduction, thereby exhibiting its pungent properties and bioactivity. By targeted mediation of various cell signaling pathways, gingerols display potential anticancer, antibacterial, blood glucose regulatory, hepato- and renal-protective, gastrointestinal regulatory, nerve regulatory, and cardiovascular protective effects. This review contributes to the application of gingerols as functional ingredients in the food and pharmaceutical industry.