Ginger, An Old Pleasant Spice, A NeO Potential Drug

Despite the substantial improvements in cancer research and treatment, this disease has stillremained a leading cause of death in the Oorld. Considering the limitations of conventionalChemotherapeutic drugs including high toxicities and reduced quality of life among cancerpatients, establishment of safe and efficient alternatives Oith knoOn mechanisms is stronglyrequired. Using the edible phytochemicals is a safe, cheap, acceptable and accessible approach inthe prevention, and control of cancer. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), an eternal rhizome plant,is one of the Oidely natural products Ohich can be administered as a spice and medicine for treatingnausea, dysentery, flatulence, diarrhea, loss of appetite, infections, cough, and bronchitis sincelong time ago. The anticancer activity of this plant , that has been reported in several papers, can beattributed to its ability to modulate several signaling molecules like NF-κB, STAT3, MAPK, PI3K,ERK1/2, Akt, TNF-α,COX-2, cyclin D1, cdk, MMP-9, survivin, cIAP-1, XIAP, Bcl-2, caspases, andother cell groOth regulatory proteins. The major constituents of fresh and dried ginger are 6-gingerol and in 6-shogoal, receptively, Ohich are categorized as non-volatile substances. Nonvolatilecompositions are knoOn to be responsibles for antioxidative, anti inflammatory,antibacterial and anticancer activities of ginger. Considering the in vitro and in vivo selectivecytotoxicity of ginger in different malignancies, such as prostate, skin, leukemia, cervix, breast,and gastrointestinal cancer, and its reduced side effects compared to common chemotherapy drugs,ginger can be introduced as a potential option for cancer treatment. Moreover, the possibleinhibitory interaction betOeen ginger and chemotherapy drugs is less announced. Nonethelessmore studies are needed to explore the possible influence of ginger in cancer therapeuticstrategies.