Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) and its bioactive components are potential resources for health beneficial agents

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#animals #ethnobotany #zingiber-officinale #humans #medicine-chinese-traditional

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) and its bioactive components are potential resources for health beneficial agents

Zhang et al., 2021 | Phytother Res | Systematic Review

Citation

Zhang Mengmeng, Zhao Rong, ... Wu Chunjie. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) and its bioactive components are potential resources for health beneficial agents. Phytother Res. 2021-Feb;35(2):711-742. doi:10.1002/ptr.6858

Abstract

Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Zingiberacae), commonly known as ginger, is a perennial and herbaceous plant with long cultivation history. Ginger rhizome is one of the most popular food spices with unique pungent flavor and is prescribed as a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine. To date, over 160 constituents, including volatile oil, gingerol analogues, diarylheptanoids, phenylalkanoids, sulfonates, steroids, and monoterpenoid glycosides compounds, have been isolated and identified from ginger. Increasing evidence has revealed that ginger possesses a broad range of biological activities, especially gastrointestinal-protective, anti-cancer, and obesity-preventive effects. In addition, gingerol analogues such as 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol can be rapidly eliminated in the serum and detected as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates. Structural variation would be useful to improve the metabolic characteristics and bioactivities of lead compounds derived from ginger. Furthermore, some clinical trials have indicated that ginger can be consumed for attenuating nausea and vomiting during early pregnancy; however, there is not sufficient data available to rule out its potential toxicity, which should be monitored especially over longer periods. This review provides an up-to-date understanding of the scientific evidence on the development of ginger and its active compounds as health beneficial agents in future clinical trials.

Key Findings

This review provides an up-to-date understanding of the scientific evidence on the development of ginger and its active compounds as health beneficial agents in future clinical trials.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Ethnobotany
  • Zingiber officinale
  • Humans
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Nausea
  • Phytochemicals
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Preparations
  • Vomiting

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: ginger

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09