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Background: Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith (lempoyang) has a traditional application in the treatment of indigestion, worm infestation, loss of appetite, and postpartum conditions. Objectives: Extracts of Z. zerumbet (methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate) were utilized to investigate the mutagenic, anti-mutagenic, and cytotoxic properties. Materials and Methods: Initially, a mutagenicity test (Ames test) was conducted, followed by an anti-mutagenicity test, to assess the potential of Z. zerumbet extracts in inhibiting mutagenicity induced by sodium azide and 9-aminoacridine. Furthermore, the cytotoxic ability of the extracts was evaluated using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Results: The mutagenicity assessment revealed that the methanol extract of Z. zerumbet exhibited a twofold increase in the number of revertants in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 1537. Similar results were observed for the hexane extract, except at a concentration of 6.25 mg/mL, where no significant increase in revertants was observed. On the other hand, the ethyl acetate extract demonstrated a twofold increase in revertants in S. typhimurium strain TA 1535. Notably, the ethyl acetate extract displayed remarkable anti-mutagenic activity against 9-aminoacridine, while the hexane extract exhibited strong anti-mutagenic activity against sodium azide. Regarding cytotoxicity assessment using the MTT assay, the methanol extract of Z. zerumbet exhibited the highest cytotoxicity with an IC50 value estimated at 388.50 ± 135.75 µg/mL. The hexane and ethyl acetate extracts showed IC50 values of 514.17 ± 135.75 and 589.67 ± 241.67 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The extracts displayed both mutagenic and cytotoxic activities. However, they also exhibited promising anti-mutagenic potential, which could be harnessed for cancer prevention purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zingiber simaoense Y. Y. Qian (Zingiberaceae) rhizomes have been widely used to alleviate gastric disorders in Thai traditional medicine. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the gastric ulcer healing activity of Z. simaoense rhizome ethanol extract (ZSE) against acidified ethanol-induced gastric ulcer and its possible gastroprotective mechanisms. Materials and Methods: The gastric ulcer healing activity of ZSE was evaluated using an acidified ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. The involvement of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and sulfhydryl (SH) compounds in ZSE gastroprotection was also examined in addition to the determination of NO, malondialdehyde (MDA), and prostaglandin (PG) E2levels in rat gastric tissues as well as the determination of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content in ZSE. Results: ZSE at the dose of 240 mg/kg/day significantly accelerated gastric ulcer healing when observed on days 4 and 8 following ulcer induction. Pretreatment with either NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester or N-ethylmaleimide inhibited the gastroprotective activity of ZSE. Moreover, ZSE significantly increased NO and PGE2levels and decreased MDA levels in rat gastric tissues. DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic compounds were also presented in ZSE. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the gastric ulcer healing activity of ZSE against acidified ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. The possible gastroprotective mechanisms underlying the cytoprotective effect of ZSE might also involve gastric mucosal NO, SH compounds, and PGE2as well as its antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Zerumbone (ZER) is known to exhibit anticancer properties on various cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. However, the anti-angiogenesis effect of ZER on liver cancers in vivo is not yet addressed clearly. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the in vivo antiproliferative and antiangiogenesis effects of ZER using rats with diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: The antiproliferative and anti-angiogenesis effects of ZER were determined using the hepatosomatic index, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunoassay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Results: Nontreated rats with HCC had higher median liver weight than those treated with ZER or suramin. The expression of VEGF, matrix metalloprotease, and Ki-67 that were high in nontreated HCC rats was down-regulated with ZER or suramin treatments. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 21.0 (SPSS Inc, IBM, Maryland, USA). The data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation and analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Conclusion: ZER has the potential to be developed as the pro-apoptotic and antiangiogenic agent in the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the analgesic effects of ginger in different conditions, but evidence about its efficacy in migraine treatment is scarce.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of ginger to improve acute migraine as an add-on strategy to standard treatment.Methods: A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial in the emergency room of a general hospital was conducted. Patients who sought medical care at the time of migraine attack were enrolled in this study. Only adults with episodic migraine (one to six migraine attacks per month) with or without aura were included. Sixty participants were randomized into two groups in which they received 400 mg of ginger extract (5% active ingredient) or placebo (cellulose), in addition to an intravenous drug (100 mg of ketoprofen) to treat the migraine attack. Patients filled a headache diary before, 0.5 h, 1 h, 1.5 h and 2 h after the medication. Pain severity, functional status, migraine symptoms and treatment satisfaction were also recorded.Results: Patients treated with ginger showed significantly better clinical response after 1 h ( p = 0.04), 1.5 h ( p = 0.01) and 2 h ( p = 0.04). Furthermore, ginger treatment promoted reduction in pain and improvement on functional status at all times assessed.Conclusions: The addition of ginger to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may contribute to the treatment of migraine attack. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02568644). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zingiber zerumbet locally known as lempoyang is used traditionally to cure swelling, sores, and loss of appetite. Its rhizomes contain many active compounds such as zerumbone and kaempferol that have been shown to exhibit antiproliferative activities on various cancer cell types. However, the effect of this plant on leukemia has not thoroughly been investigated. Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the cytotoxic effects of Z. zerumbet ethyl acetate crude extract on apoptosis-resistant erythroleukemia cell line, K-562. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxic effects and morphological changes of Z. zerumbet ethyl acetate crude extract on apoptosis-resistant erythroleukemia cell line, K-562, were investigated spectrometrically through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and morphologically using the phase-contrast microscopy, respectively. Results: MTT assay demonstrated that this crude extract showed cytotoxic effects on erythroleukemia cell line K-562 in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner with IC50values of 13.83 ± 1.82 and 10.13 ± 1.67 μg/ml for 48 and 72 h time points, respectively. The morphology of treated cells showed apparent changes of features such as membrane blebbing, cell shrinkage, and formation of apoptotic bodies which were the signs of apoptosis. The changes of cell morphology that resembled apoptotic features were more obvious with increase in treatment time. Conclusions: This finding indicates that ethyl acetate crude extract of Z. zerumbet exhibits cytotoxic effects on K-562 cell line through induction of apoptosis as morphologically seen in the cells. Further investigations are needed to ascertain the possibility of apoptosis as its major event of cell death. Abbreviations used: MTT: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yI)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide; DMSO: Dimethylsulfoxide; h: Hour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Due to increase in the number of patients with impaired immunity, incidence of dermatophytoses has increased considerably. Antidermatophytic agents with anti-inflammatory and protease-inhibiting activities will help in restricting inflammatory response associated with dermatophytoses. Aims: The present study aims to evaluate antidermatophytic and protease-inhibiting activities of zerumbone. Cytotoxicity was tested using Chang liver cell line as a preliminary step in toxicity study. Methods and Materials: Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of zerumbone purified from the rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet were determined against Epidermophyton floccosum var. nigricans, Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, and Trichophyton rubrum. MIC was determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) method M38-A2. Protease-inhibiting property was tested using trypsin as the enzyme. In vitro cytotoxic effect was studied using the MTT assay. Results: MIC of zerumbone was 8 mg/L against E. floccosum and M. canis and 16 mg/L for M. gypseum and T. rubrum. MFC of zerumbone was 64 mg/L against E. floccosum and M. canis and 128 mg/L for M. gypseum and T. rubrum. Zerumbone exhibited remarkable protease-inhibiting activity. In the MTT assay, IC50 values were 150 and 0.31 μg, respectively, for zerumbone and reference drug. Statistical Analysis Used: For protease inhibition, assay and cytotoxicity assay control and tests were done in triplicate and the results are expressed as mean ± SD, where n = 3. Conclusions: Zerumbone is a novel candidate for use in dermatophytoses therapy because of the combined antifungal, anti-inflammatory (unpublished results), and protease-inhibiting properties. Cytotoxicity of zerumbone was found to be very low compared with the reference drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]