Several population-based studies indicate that people in Asian countries have a much lower risk of different cancer types when compared to their Western counterparts. It is widely claimed that constituents of their diet such as ginger, garlic, soy, curcumin, onion, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables, chillies, and green tea contribute to that lower incidence1. Therefore, there is increasing interest in naturally occurring cancer chemopreventive agents. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is widely used worldwide as a food, spice and herb2. Gingerols comprise a series of homologue substances differentiated by the length of their alkyl chains with [6]-, [8]- and [10]-gingerol having 10, 12 and 14 carbons in their unbranched alkyl chains, respectively3. The aim of this study was to perform an optimization of [6]-, [8]- and [10]-gingerol isolation and purification and to determine their anti-proliferative activities against tumor cells (MDA-MB-231) and non-tumor cells (Human Fibroblasts – HF). [6]-, [8]- and [10]-gingerol inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 tumor cell line with IC50 of 666.2±134.6 µM, 135.6±22.6 µM and 12.1±0.3 µM, respectively. These substances also inhibited human fibroblasts (HF) cell proliferation, however in concentrations starting from 500 µM.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate an optimization of gingerols isolation and their specific anti-proliferative activities against tumor cells, suggesting their use as important models for drug design in an attempt to develop new compounds with fewer side effects when compared to conventional chemotherapy. Assays to investigate the function of these substances in processes of cell adhesion, migration and invasion are currently being performed. Migration and invasion inhibition of MDA-MD-231 and FH cells in the presence of gingerols will be tested in standard transwell migration chambers and/or in a wound healing assay.
Financial Support: FAPESP, CAPES