Research article

Ginger inhibits cell growth and modulates angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells

Jennifer Rhode^{* 1} , Sarah Fogoros^{* 2} , Suzanna Zick³ , Heather Wahl⁴ , Kent A Griffith⁵ , Jennifer Huang⁴ and J Rebecca Liu⁴

¹88th Medical Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA

²National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Cancer Genetics Branch, USA

³Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

⁴Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

⁵Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2007, 7:44doi:10.1186/1472-6882-7-44

Published:	20 December 2007

Abstract

Background

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc) is a natural dietary component with antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. The ginger component [6]-gingerol has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects through mediation of NF-κB. NF-κB can be constitutively activated in epithelial ovarian cancer cells and may contribute towards increased transcription and translation of angiogenic factors. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ginger on tumor cell growth and modulation of angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells in vitro.

Methods

The effect of ginger and the major ginger components on cell growth was determined in a panel of epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines. Activation of NF-κB and and production of VEGF and IL-8 was determined in the presence or absence of ginger.

Results

Ginger treatment of cultured ovarian cancer cells induced profound growth inhibition in all cell lines tested. We found that in vitro, 6-shogaol is the most active of the individual ginger components tested. Ginger treatment resulted in inhibition of NF-kB activation as well as diminished secretion of VEGF and IL-8.

Conclusion

Ginger inhibits growth and modulates secretion of angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells. The use of dietary agents such as ginger may have potential in the treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer.