Ginger extract (Zingiber officinale) has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects on ethionine-induced hepatoma rats.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of ginger extract on the expression of NFkappaB and TNF-alpha in liver cancer-induced rats.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups based on diet: i) control (given normal rat chow), ii) olive oil, iii) ginger extract (100mg/kg body weight), iv) choline-deficient diet + 0.1% ethionine to induce liver cancer and v) choline-deficient diet + ginger extract (100mg/kg body weight). Tissue samples obtained at eight weeks were fixed with formalin and embedded in paraffin wax, followed by immunohistochemistry staining for NFkappaB and TNF-alpha.


RESULTS
The expression of NFkappaB was detected in the choline-deficient diet group, with 88.3 +/- 1.83% of samples showing positive staining, while in the choline-deficient diet supplemented with ginger group, the expression of NFkappaB was significantly reduced, to 32.35 +/- 1.34% (p<0.05). In the choline-deficient diet group, 83.3 +/- 4.52% of samples showed positive staining of TNF-alpha, which was significantly reduced to 7.94 +/- 1.32% (p<0.05) when treated with ginger. There was a significant correlation demonstrated between NFkappaB and TNF-alpha in the choline-deficient diet group but not in the choline-deficient diet treated with ginger extract group.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, ginger extract significantly reduced the elevated expression of NFkappaB and TNF-alpha in rats with liver cancer. Ginger may act as an anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agent by inactivating NFkappaB through the suppression of the pro-inflammatory TNF-alpha.
Habib
Shafina Hanim Mohd
SH
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Makpol
Suzana
S
Abdul  Hamid
Noor Aini
NA
Das
Srijit
S
Ngah
Wan Zurinah Wan
WZ
Yusof
Yasmin Anum Mohd
YA
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005001:Ethionine; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005001:Ethionine