Ginger and its bioactive component 6-shogaol mitigate lung inflammation in a murine asthma model

Abstract

Asthma, a common disorder associated with airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, remains a significant clinical burden in need of novel therapeutic strategies. Patients are increasingly seeking complementary and alternative medicine approaches to control their symptoms, including the use of natural products. Ginger, a natural product that we previously demonstrated acutely relaxes airway smooth muscle (ASM), has long been reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties, although a precise mechanistic understanding is lacking. In these studies, we demonstrate that chronic administration of whole ginger extract or 6-shogaol, a bioactive component of ginger, mitigates in vivo house dust mite antigen-mediated lung inflammation in mice. We further show that this decrease in inflammation is associated with reduced in vivo airway responsiveness. Utilizing in vitro studies, we demonstrate that 6-shogaol augments cAMP concentrations in CD4 cells, consistent with phosphodiesterase inhibition, and limits the induction of nuclear factor-κB signaling and the production of proinflammatory cytokines in activated CD4 cells. Sustained elevations in cAMP concentration are well known to inhibit effector T cell function. Interestingly, regulatory T cells (Tregs) utilize cAMP as a mediator of their immunosuppressive effects, and we demonstrate here that 6-shogaol augments the Treg polarization of naïve CD4 cells in vitro. Taken together with previous reports, these studies suggest that ginger and 6-shogaol have the potential to combat asthma via two mechanisms: acute ASM relaxation and chronic inhibition of inflammation.

Coadministration of Ginger Extract and Fluconazole Shows a Synergistic Effect in the Treatment of Drug-Resistant Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

“…Ginger showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects when used in combination with anti-tubercular therapy in patients. 51 Ginger and its bioactive component 6-shogaol have been effective to alleviate the lung inflammation in an asthma model. 52 In this study, we investigated the synergistic effect of methanolic extract of Ginger (Meth-Gin) and FLZ against C. albicans both in in vitro and in a mouse model of VVC.…”

Inhibitory Effects of Gyeji-Tang on MMP-9 Activity and the Expression of Adhesion Molecules in IL-4- and TNF-α-Stimulated BEAS-2B Cells

“…Glycyrrhizin has been reported to reduce airway inflammation in vivo [ 41 ], and to ameliorate the progression of asthma and long-term chronic histopathological changes in the lungs of a mouse model of asthma [ 42 , 43 ]. In addition, jujuboside B, 6-shogaol and 6-gingerol exhibited potent anti-asthmatic effects in a murine asthma model by regulating an exaggerated inflammatory response, improving airway hyperresponsiveness, and suppressing airway inflammation [ 38 , 44 , 45 ]. The previous studies and our current data collectively suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of GJTWE in IT-stimulated BEAS-2B cells may be due to a synergistic effect between several of the compounds of GJTWE.…”

Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens: A Review of Its Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology

“…Several constituents isolated from ZRR have been demonstrated to ameliorate a number of inflammatory responses. 6-Shogaol appeared to alleviate the lung inflammation of mice induced by house dust mite antigen in vivo [ 83 ]. 6-Gingerol prevented chronic ulcerative colitis through downregulating NF-kB (p65) and suppressing proinflammatory cytokines [ 84 ].…”