Ginger, the Potent Free radical Scavenging activities

Ginger may have a potential effect in reducing oxidative stress by inhibiting the overexpression of free radicals as scavengers, some studies suggested.

Free radical is an unstable molecule with the unpaired electron in the outer ring of the atom. In order for them to become stable, free radical is actively to donate or steal an electron from the stable molecules.

Once started, the chain of domino's effect cannot be stopped until the outer ring of the electron is paired or inhibited by the antioxidant.

Free radical scavengers are antioxidants which inhibit the oxidation.

There are 2 types of antioxidants in the body including the antioxidant enzymes produced by the host and dietary sources of antioxidant intake by the host.

Oxidative stress is the expression of the imbalance of the levels of the free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

In other words, oxidative stress can either caused by overexpression of free radicals or low levels of antioxidant enzymes.

A prolonged period of oxidative stress can damage the body tissue, alternated the immune function and cell DNA, leading to the etiology of many chronic health problems including cardiovascular and inflammatory disease, and cancer.

There are many causes of overexpression of free radicals, some researchers suggested that fried foods, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollutants, and many more are contributed to the onset of the condition.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) or ginger root, the second superfood used for thousands of years by mankind, is the genus Zingiber, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, native to Tamil.

The root has been used in traditional and Chinese medicine to treat dyspepsia, gastroparesis, constipation, edema, difficult urination, colic, etc.

On finding the chemical constituents that constitute the free radical scavenger activity of ginger, a research team at the University of Mysore analyzed the chemical composition and antioxidant activity (in aqueous and solvent extracts) of Ginger root (Zingiber officinale).

During the experiment, application of ethanol, methanol, acetone, 80% methanol and 80% ethanolic extracts to determine free radical scavenging activity, suggesting that the order of antioxidant activity by reducing power and free radical scavenging activity by DPPH was 80% methanolic > 80%ethanolic > methanolic > ethanolic > 30°C water >100°C water > acetonic extract.

These results suggested that ginger efficacy in the inhibition of the free radicals was not attributed to a single ingredient but all members of the antioxidant family.

In the investigation of the free radical scavenger activity of 4 essential oils of young and mature rhizomes, air-dried and steamed rhizomes, and seed rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger), researchers found
* All prepared ginger essential oils, showed a significant free radical scavenger property

* Essential oil from the seed and air-dried rhizomes demonstrated the highest anti-free radical activity compared to other preparation.

* Essential oil from the seed and air-dried rhizomes also are the better free radical scavenger agents, compared to ginger oleoresins obtained by ethanol and hypercritical carbon dioxide extraction and essential oils of 5 other plants in the family Zingiberaceae.

* [6]-shogaol, the bioactive compound isolated from the ginger was most active against filament formation and growth of C. Albicans, followed by citral and [6]-gingerol.

An additional examination also indicated that ginger oleoresin, and especially that obtained by ethanol extraction, with a high [6]-gingerol content exhibited potent scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals in comparison to essential oils of ginger and other Zingiberaceae plants.

In support of the above differentiation, researchers at the North China Coal Medical College, in the report of "[Scavenging effects of ginger on superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical]" wrote,
"Ginger can significantly scavenge O2-. in hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system and.OH in ultraviolet exposure of H2O2 system". and "The scavenging effects of ginger on O2-. and.OH may contribute to explaining some of the pharmacological mechanisms of this drug".


Taken altogether, ginger with the abundant bioactive compound may be considered a free radical scavenger functional food for preventing overexpression of free radical in the initiation of a chain reaction


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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.


Sources
(1) Anti-Candida and radical scavenging activities of essential oils and oleoresins of Zingiber officinale Roscoe and essential oils of other plants belonging to the family Zingiberaceae by Takahashi M1, Inouye S, Abe S.(PubMed)
(2) [Scavenging effects of ginger on superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical].[Article in Chinese] by Cao ZF1, Chen ZG, Guo P, Zhang SM, Lian LX, Luo L, Hu WM. (PubMed)
(3) Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of ginger root (Zingiber officinale) (Research Gate)