Gingerol

Gingerol, a phenolic substance and a potent cardiotonic agent isolated from the rhizome of ginger, has been shown to stimulate the Ca²⁺-pumping activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbits in a concentration-dependent manner. It was noted that Gingerol specifically activated SERCA (Ca²⁺-ATPase of cardiac and skeletal SR). Additional research has shown Gingerol to inhibit platelet aggregation via suppression of thromboxane production. Gingerol blocked ATP release from platelets induced by adrenaline and adenosine 5-diphosphate and prevented secondary aggregation. It has been demonstrated that Gingerol contains antioxidant and antiinflammatory characteristics and could significantly inhibit 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced skin papillomagenesis in mice. Furthermore, Gingerol has been noted as an agonist of the capsaicin-activated VR1 (vanilloid receptor) and in leukemia cell studies it has been shown to have apoptotic properties.