In the elderly population, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of visual impairment, characterized by a thinner retinal pigment epithelium and loss of photoreceptors. 6-shogaol (6S), a component of dried Zingiber officinale Roscoe, has been studied for its multiple therapeutic effects. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of 6S supplementation on AMD. 25-month-old C57BL/6 mice were orally administered with 10 mg/kg of 6S for 28 consecutive days. The thickness of the retinal layer was measured by histological analysis. mRNA expression related to fibrosis, inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. As a result, 6S increased the thickness of the retinal layer and promoted postsynaptic density protein-95 expression in the outer plexiform layer of the aged mice. Moreover, 6S suppressed ocular mRNA expression related to the fibrotic process, including transforming growth factor beta, collagen type 1 alpha 1, and alpha smooth muscle actin. Furthermore, 6S reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the eyeballs of aged mice. Lastly, 6S inhibited ocular endoplasmic reticulum stress measured by mRNA expression of C/EBP homologous protein and spliced X-box binding protein-1 in the aged mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that 6S and dried ginger could be a potential nutraceutical candidate for AMD or other age-related eye diseases.

2025-08-01·INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES

Bioactive constituents from ginger as human uridine-disphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A9 inhibitors: Potential metabolic modulators of mycophenolic acid

Article

作者: Chen, Qin-Hua ; Lv, Xia ; Miao, Yi-Sheng ; Tian, Xiang-Ge ; Yao, Fei-Lian ; Shen, Meng-Yao ; Ma, Xiao-Chi ; Zhang, Jian-Bin ; Wang, Jia-Yue ; Sun, Xiao-Nan ; Liu, Yi-Ou ; Feng, Lei

Uridine-disphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A9 (UGT1A9) plays a critical role in the inactivation and detoxification of numerous exogenous drugs and endogenous molecules. Inhibition of UGT1A9 represents a promising strategy to enhance the exposure and efficacy of mycophenolic acid (MPA), a first-line immunosuppressive drug used in transplantation medicine. In this study, six natural molecules from ginger were identified as effective inhibitors of UGT1A9 through a high-throughput screening method. Notably, among all tested UGT isoforms, 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, and 10-shogaol were found to be highly specific inhibitors of UGT1A9. Additionally, these six constituents from ginger could significantly reduce MPA metabolism, then effectively increase its exposure level, and prolong its half-life in living cells. More importantly, 6-shogaol not only inhibited MPA metabolism but also enhanced its efficacy in suppressing the proliferation of concanavalin A (ConA)-induced mouse primary splenic lymphocytes. Furthermore, 6-shogaol increased both systemic and tissue exposure, while also enhancing the hepatoprotective effects of MPA in a ConA-induced autoimmune hepatitis mouse model. Additionally, their underlying molecular mechanisms of UGT1A9 inhibition were elucidated through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Collectively, these results suggest that the six natural compounds in ginger exhibited promising potential to enhance the exposure level and immune efficacy of MPA by inhibiting UGT1A9.

2025-07-09·JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY

Deciphering the Antiaging Effective Components in the Geo-authentic Tibetan Medicine Brassica rapa L. Based on the “Environment–Food–Human” Web

Article

作者: Qian, He ; Zhu, Hongkang ; Ou, Xia ; Yang, Zhenquan ; Dundrup, Norbu

Brassica rapa L., well known as "Tibetan ginseng" and "longevity holy fruit" from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is of great value for its edible, medicinal, and feeding uses. This study was conducted to reveal the geo-authentic and antiaging features of B. rapa L. from the perspective of the "environment-food-human" web. Combining the meteorological scientific data and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology, the geographical location, climatic factors, and rhizosphere soil composition were found as the main environmental factors affecting the growth of B. rapa L., showing discrepancies in the main active ingredients and antiaging activity on Caenorhabditis elegans. Among them, the contents of phenols in B. rapa L. from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau areas were relatively higher, which significantly extended the healthy lifespan, improved the exercise capacity, and downregulated the expression of senescence markers of C. elegans. Based on UHPLC-MS and network pharmacology analysis, 6-paradol, 6-gingerol, and 6-shogaol were found to play crucial roles in the antiaging regulatory network of B. rapa L. (degree > 25). Finally, validation tests showed that 6-shogaol significantly improved the health lifespan of C. elegans by 28.4% and activated the longevity regulating pathway. These findings suggest that B. rapa L. from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may serve as a potent antiaging source, and 6-shogaol could be a promising candidate for promoting healthy aging.

100 项与 6-Shogaol 相关的药物交易

登录后查看更多信息