Biomol Ther.  2018 Nov;26(6):568-575. 10.4062/biomolther.2017.215.

Longevity and Stress Resistant Property of 6-Gingerol from Zingiber officinale Roscoe in Caenorhabditis elegans

• Lee EB
• Kim JH
• An CW
• Kim YJ
• Noh YJ
• Kim SJ
• Kim JE
• Shrestha A
• Ham HN
• Leem JY
• Jo HK
• Kim DS
• Moon KH
• Lee JH
• Jeong KO
• Kim DK

• KMID: 2427510
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2017.215

Abstract

In order to discover lifespan-extending compounds made from natural resources, activity-guided fractionation of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) ethanol extract was performed using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model system. The compound 6-gingerol was isolated from the most active ethyl acetate soluble fraction, and showed potent longevity-promoting activity. It also elevated the survival rate of worms against stressful environment including thermal, osmotic, and oxidative conditions. Additionally, 6-gingerol elevated the antioxidant enzyme activities of C. elegans, and showed a dose-depend reduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in worms. Further studies demonstrated that the increased stress tolerance of 6-gingerol-mediated worms could result from the promotion of stress resistance proteins such as heat shock protein (HSP-16.2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD-3). The lipofuscin levels in 6-gingerol treated intestinal worms were decreased in comparison to the control group. No significant 6-gingerol-related changes, including growth, food intake, reproduction, and movement were noted. These results suggest that 6-gingerol exerted longevity-promoting activities independently of these factors and could extend the human lifespan.

Keyword

Zingiber officinale Roscoe; 6-Gingerol; Caenorhabditis elegans; Longevity; Stress tolerance

MeSH Terms

Caenorhabditis elegans*
Caenorhabditis*
Eating
Ethanol
Ginger*
Heat-Shock Proteins
Humans
Lipofuscin
Longevity*
Natural Resources
Reactive Oxygen Species
Reproduction
Superoxide Dismutase
Survival Rate
Ethanol
Heat-Shock Proteins
Lipofuscin
Reactive Oxygen Species
Superoxide Dismutase