Abstract
The effects of the constituents isolated from ginger species including curcumin, 6-gingerol and labdane-type diterpene compounds on cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis in the cultured human T lymphoma Jurkat cells were studied. Among the tested compounds, Galanals A and B, isolated from the flower buds of a Japanese ginger, myoga (Zingiber mioga Roscoe), showed the most potent cytotoxic effect. Exposure of Jurkat human T-cell leukemia cells to galanals resulted in the induction of apoptotic cell death characterized by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation. The mitochondrial damage pathway was suggested to be involved in galanal-induced apoptosis because the treatment of cells with galanals induced mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) alteration and cytochrome c release. The anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein was downregulated by the galanal treatment together with enhancement of the Bax expression. In conclusion, the results from this study provide biological evidence that ginger-specific constituents other than curcuminoids are potential anticancer agents.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 113-119 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Cancer Letters |
Volume | 199 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sep 25 2003 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Apoptosis
- Curcumin
- Galanal
- Ginger
- Jurkat cells
- [6]-gingerol
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research