Abstract
Plants of the genus Zingiber (Family Zingiberaceae) are widely used throughout the world as food and medicinal plants. They represent very popular herbal remedies in various traditional healing systems; in particular, rhizome of Zingiber spp. plants has a long history of ethnobotanical uses because of a plethora of curative properties. Antimicrobial activity of rhizome essential oil has been extensively confirmed in vitro and attributed to its chemical components, mainly consisting of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as α-zingiberene, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene and β-sesquiphellandrene. In addition, gingerols have been identified as the major active components in the fresh rhizome, whereas shogaols, dehydrated gingerol derivatives, are the predominant pungent constituents in dried rhizome. Zingiber spp. may thus represent a promising and innovative source of natural alternatives to chemical food preservatives. This approach would meet the increasing concern of consumers aware of the potential health risks associated with the conventional antimicrobial agents in food. This narrative review aims at providing a literature overview on Zingiber spp. plants, their cultivation, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents and biological activities.
Highlights
Today’s consumers are becoming more aware of the link between diet and health
The chemical composition of the Z. officinale EOs previously cited is in accordance with a number of studies, which reported the presence of these major compounds, though found in different amounts [28,39,53]
In Chinese medicine, fresh ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) is used as an antiemetic, antitussive, or expectorant, and is used to induce perspiration and dispel cold, whereas the dried ginger is used for stomachache, vomiting, and diarrhea accompanied by cold extremities and faint pulse [105]
Summary
The Mediterranean diet possesses a plethora of bioactive phytochemicals, e.g., polyphenols and melatonin [1,2], which can contribute to its beneficial effects against chronic-degenerative disorders, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes [3,4,5] This trend is leading to increasing demand for the use of natural ingredients as food supplements and preservatives. The EOs exhibited significant antifungal activity against Candida glabrata, C. albicans and Aspergillus niger [19] These results suggest that EO of Zingiber plant could be used in the treatment of many bacterial and fungal diseases as well as in food preservation as natural preservatives [20,24]. EOs and their components focus on the potential application of Zingiber plants as natural preservatives for foods
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