Therapeutic Potential of Ginger Rhizomes ( Zingiber officinale ) on Leukemia
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Leukemia continues to provide a significant therapeutic challenge due to relapse, medication resistance, and treatment-associated toxicity, which frequently hinder sustained disease management. Rhizomes of ginger (Zingiber officinale) possess bioactive phenolics, notably 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol derivatives, which have demonstrated antileukemia efficacy in preclinical models. This study rigorously assesses the evidence regarding ginger-derived preparations and isolated compounds in both acute and chronic leukemia models, focusing on recurring mechanisms and translational viability. In leukemia cell line investigations and sparse resistant-model data, ginger-related interventions are consistently linked to diminished viability and the induction of mitochondrial apoptosis, typically indicated by alterations in Bax/Bcl-2 ratios, PARP breakage, and caspase-related measurements. Numerous studies indicate redox modulation, often characterized by elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species in leukemic cells, coupled with diminished pro-survival signaling, such as PI3K/Akt, as indicated by decreased pAkt and survivin levels. The suggested immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, encompassing alterations in NK-cell activity and cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6, are inadequately substantiated within leukemia-specific immunological contexts. Interpretation is limited by the variability in extract composition and chemical characterisation, inconsistent dose and exposure circumstances, dependence on endpoint markers without causative manipulation, and a lack of leukemia-specific clinical data. Ginger-derived compounds exhibit multi-target biological activity that necessitates further exploration through standardized and chemically defined preparations, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characterization, clinically relevant exposure benchmarks, and meticulously designed leukemia-focused translational and early-phase clinical studies to elucidate safety, efficacy, and compatibility with current therapies.
DOI: 10.1002/bab.70130
Institutions: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Samarkand State Medical Institute, University of Baghdad, Tehran Heart Center
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7126236497