Essential Oil Composition of Diploid and Tetraploid Clones of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) Grown in Australia

Ginger oil, obtained by steam distillation of the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, is used in the beverage and fragrance industries. Ginger oil displays considerable compositional diversity, but is typically characterized by a high content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, including zingiberene, arcurcumene, â-bisabolene, and â-sesquiphellandrene. Australian ginger oil has a reputation for possessing a particular “lemony” aroma, due to its high content of the isomers neral and geranial, often collectively referred to as citral. Fresh rhizomes of 17 clones of Australian ginger, including commercial cultivars and experimental tetraploid clones, were steam distilled 7 weeks post-harvest, and the resulting oils were analyzed by GC-MS. The essential oils of 16 of the 17 clones, including the tetraploid clones and their parent cultivar, were found to be of substantially similar composition. These oils were characterized by very high citral levels (51-71%) and relatively low levels of the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons typical of ginger oil. The citral levels of most of these oils exceeded those previously reported for ginger oils. The neral-to-geranial ratio was shown to be remarkably constant (0.61 ( 0.01) across all 17 clones. One clone, the cultivar “Jamaican”, yielded oil with a substantially different composition, lower citral content and higher levels of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Because this cultivar also contains significantly higher concentrations of pungent gingerols, it possesses unique aroma and flavor characteristics, which should be of commercial interest.

生姜化感作用机理及其栽培模式研究

近年来，随着对作物重茬（连年种植）障碍原因的深入研究，植物的化感作用越来越受到国内外众多学者的重视。而作为重要调料和药用植物的生姜，其连作障碍也备受关注，系统地研究生姜化感作用将有助于理解和最终解决生姜连作障碍问题。本文通过研究生姜不同部位、不同浓度的水浸液对与其间作的两个物种（大豆和四季葱）种子的萌发及幼苗生长的影响，从而证明生姜化感作用的存在；并通过温室盆栽实验研究了生姜的自毒作用（即研究生姜不同部位、不同浓度的水浸液对其幼苗的形态、生理生化、光合作用、土壤酶、土壤微生物多样性及土壤养分的影响），从而揭示生姜退化和衰老的机制，并为生姜筛选出合适的间作物种提供科学依据，对生姜连作障碍提出科学的解决方法。主要研究结果如下： 1. 与对照相比，生姜所有部位（根茎、茎、叶）、所有浓度（10、20、40、 80 g l-1）的水浸液均抑制了大豆种子和葱籽的萌发率、幼苗生长、水分吸收和脂肪酶活性，并且其抑制程度随着水浸液浓度的增加而增强，其生姜各部位水浸液抑制效应的强弱顺序为茎＞叶＞根茎。这一结果表明生姜根茎、茎、叶含有能够抑制大豆种子和葱籽种子萌发和幼苗生长的水溶性化感物质。根茎是生姜的主要收获部位，而生姜的残株（主要是茎和叶）应该从大田中处理掉以减轻其抑制效应。生姜水浸液中主要化感成分包括：根茎水浸液中主要是丁香酸和伞花内脂；茎水浸液中主要是阿魏酸，且其含量最高为73.4 ug/g；叶水浸液中除了阿魏酸，其他六种物质均检测出来，但含量较高的主要有丁香酸、伞花内脂和香豆酸。 2. 生姜茎和叶不同浓度的水浸液均显著抑制了生姜幼苗的株高、每株叶片数和叶面积，其抑制程度随着水浸液浓度的增加而有所增强，而生姜幼苗每株分枝数差异不显著；同时生姜水浸液也极大程度地影响了生姜幼苗的生物量（包括地下生物量、地上生物量和总生物量，均为鲜重）。在同一浓度下，茎水浸液对生姜幼苗形态指标及生物量指标均显示出最强的抑制作用，叶水浸液次之，根茎水浸液最弱。与对照相比，低浓度的生姜根茎水浸液提高了生姜幼苗叶片内四种抗氧化酶（SOD、POD、CAT、APX）活性，高浓度的根茎水浸液抑制了四种抗氧化酶活性，而茎和叶水浸液均随着浓度的增加而抑制了四种抗氧化酶活性，三种水浸液均随着浓度的增加降低了生姜幼苗叶片内叶绿素的含量，而增加了生姜幼苗叶片的相对电导率和丙二醛含量。同时，三种水浸液均随着浓度的增加降低了生姜幼苗的光合参数（包括胞间CO2浓度、气孔导度、蒸腾速率及净光合速率）。 3. 三种生姜水浸液对所测六种土壤酶活性均产生了不同程度的影响，其中影响最大的是酸性磷酸酶和蔗糖酶，在10 g l-1 时就达到了显著水平，并且所有酶均有随着水浸液浓度增加而增大的趋势；相同部位的水浸液随着浓度的增加，细菌和真菌的数量呈增加趋势，而放线菌的数量呈减少趋势；三种生姜水浸液均随着浓度的增加降低了土壤中有机质的含量，加剧了土壤中硝态氮含量的积累，根茎水浸液对土壤有效磷、速效钾和铵态氮均显示出低浓度提高其含量而高浓度降低其含量的趋势，而茎和叶水浸液则随着浓度的增加均降低了其含量。 4. 与生姜单作相比，所有间作系统均在旺盛生长期和收获期不同程度地提高了土壤酶活性，同时也增加了土壤细菌数量及土壤微生物总数但不显著；所有间作系统在旺盛生长期和收获期均不同程度地影响了土壤真菌及放线菌数量（增加或减少），所有间作系统间的多样性指数差异不显著，除了旺盛生长期四种作物（生姜-大豆-四季葱-大蒜）的间作模式显著降低了多样性指数，其值仅为生姜单作的33.18%；生姜与大豆间作不仅提高了19.6%的生姜产量而且获得了较好的经济效益，并且，所有间作系统均显著抑制了生姜姜瘟病的发生。 5. 不同栽培模式不同程度地影响了收获期生姜的株高、分枝数、根茎产量及内在品质。其中处理2显著地促进了生姜的分枝（10.5%），同时处理2、3和4也促进了生姜的生长（株高分别增加了15.0%、11.4%和14.0%），并且这三个处理提高了生姜的产量；处理2和3能有效提高生姜块茎中维生素C（分别较单作生姜显著提高了3.29%和4.05%）、处理3显著提高了可溶性糖（8.2%）、姜辣素（4.6%）和蛋白质等有益物质的含量，降低硝酸盐有害物质的含量（处理2显著降低了14.0%），改善了姜块的外观和内在品质。并且，生姜与大豆间作具有最高的纯收入和产投比，分别较生姜单作提高了24.80%和8.8%。Recently, allelopathy has been more and more paid attentions by national and foreign scholars with profound research on reasons of crop replanted (continuous planted) obstacle. Ginger rhizome is valuable all over the world either as a spice or herbal medicine and ginger replanted obstacle is also paid attentions. Systematic research on ginger allelopathy will contribute to understanding and ultimate solving problem of ginger replanted obstacle. The effects of ginger aqueous extracts with different parts and concentrations on seed germination and early seedling growth of soybean and chive were studied in this article to testify that ginger existed allelopathy. Furthermore, ginger autotoxicity was also studied by pot experiment in greenhouse (namely research on effects of ginger aqueous extracts with different parts and concentrations on morphological indexes, physiological and biochemical indexes, photosynthesis, soil enzymes, soil microbial diversity and soil nutrients) to reveal mechanism of ginger degeneration and senescence, provide scientific basis for selecting appropriate intercropping species and put forward scientific resolvent for ginger replanted obstacle. The main results were as follows: 1. All aqueous extracts at all concentrations inhibited seed germination, seedling growth, water uptake and lipase activity of soybean and chive compared with the control, and the degree of inhibition increased with the incremental extracts concentration. The degree of toxicity of different ginger plant parts can be classified in order of decreasing inhibition as stem＞leaf＞rhizome. The results of this study suggested that rhizome, stem and leaf of ginger contained water soluble allelochemicals which could inhibit seed germination and seedling growth of soybean and chive. The rhizome is the main harvested part of ginger. The residue (mainly stems and leaves) of the ginger plant should be removed from the field so as to diminish its inhibitory effect. The main allelopathic components of three kind of aqueous extracts were as follows: Rhizome extract chiefly contained syringic acid and vmbelliferone and stem extract mainly contained frulic acid whose content was the highest (73.4 ug/g). The other six substances were detected except of frulic acid, but only contents of syringic acid, vmbelliferone and p-coumaric acid were higher. 2. Stem and leaf aqueous extracts of ginger with different concentrations significantly inhibited plant height, leaf numbers per plant and leaf area, and the degree of inhibition increased with the incremental extracts concentration. However, tiller number per plant of ginger seedling showed no significant difference. At the same time, ginger aqueous extracts also influenced biomass including under-ground biomass, above-ground biomass and total biomass (fresh weight) to a large extent. Under the same concentration, stem aqueous extract showed the mostly inhibitory effect on morphological indexes and biomass indexes of ginger seedling. Rhizome aqueous extract showed the leastly inhibitory effect and leaf aqueous extract was intervenient. Enhanced concentration of ginger aqueous extracts significantly reduced total chlorophyll content, accompanying with increases in memberane permeability (REL) and lipid peroxidation (MDA). Compared with the control, rhizome ginger aqueous extract of lower concentration (10 g l-1) increased the activities of major antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; catalase, CAT; ascorbate peroxidase, APX) of ginger leaf tissue and higher concentration inhibited the activities of four antioxidant enzymes. However, stem and leaf aqueous extract inhibited the activities of four antioxidant enzymes with increase in concentration. Meanwhile, enhanced concentration of ginger aqueous extracts significantly reduced photo-parameters of ginger seedling (including CO2 concentration, stoma conductivity, net photosynthesis rate and transpiration rate). 3. Rhizome, stem and leaf ginger aqueous extract showed different effect on six soil enzyme activities, and acid phosphatase and invertase showed significant effect when aqueous extract concentration got 10 g l-1. Furthermore, six soil enzyme activities increased with increase in aqueous extract concentration. Bcterial and fungi number tended to increase while antinomyces tented to decrease with the increase in aqueous extract concentration of identical part. Ginger aqueous extracts reduced soil organic matter content with increased concentration, accompanying with NO3-—N accumulation in soil. Rhizome aqueous extract showed the same tendency for available P, available K and NH4+—N, namely lower concentration increased their contents in soil and higher concentration reduced their contents. While stem and leaf aqueous extracts reduced their contents with the increamental concentration. 4. All intercropping systems increased soil enzyme activities to different extent both at VGS and at HS compared to solo ginger. All intercropping systems increased the colony numbers of soil bacteria and total of soil microbe but not significantly either at VGS or at HS. All intercropping systems increased the colony numbers of soil fungi and actinomytes to a different extent (increase or decrease) both at VGS and at HS. For DI, difference between all cultivation patterns and S-G was not significant either at VGS or at HS except that G-S-C-G whose value was only 33.18% of S-G at VGS significantly decreased. G-S not only increased ginger yield by 19.6% but also obtained better economic benefit. Furthermore, all intercropping systems significantly inhibited occurrence of bacterial wilt of ginger. 5. Different cultivated pattern influenced plant height, tiller numbers, rhizome yields and intrinsic quality of ginger. Treatment 2 significantly facilitated tiller occurring (10.5%). Treatment 2, 3 and 4 promoted ginger growth (plant height respectively increased 15.0%、11.4% and 14.0%) and enhanced rhizome yields. Treatment 2 and 3 effectively increased vitamin C content (significantly increased 3.29% and 4.05% compared to solo ginger). Treatment 3 significantly increased contents of beneficial substances such as soluble sugar (8.2%), gingerols (4.6%) and protein. Treatment 2 significantly decreased contents of deleterious substance namely nitrate (14.0%) and improved appearance and intrinsic quality of ginger rhizome. Furthermore, treatment 2 (ginger/soybean intercropping) could obtain better economic benefit and showed the highest net income and ratio of benefit and cost whose values respectively increased by 24.80% and 8.8% compared to solo ginger.

Effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) on DNA damage and development of urothelial tumors in a mouse bladder carcinogenesis model

Extracts of the spice ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) are rich in gingerols and shogaols, which exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anti mycobacterial, and anticarcinogenic proprieties. The present study evaluated the chemoprotective effects of a ginger extract on the DNA damage and the development of bladder cancer induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxibutyl) nitrosamine (BBN)/N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) in male Swiss mice. Groups G1-G3 were given 0.05% BBN in drinking water for 18 weeks and four i.p. injections of 30 mg/kg body weight MNU at 1, 3, 10, and 18 weeks. Group G4 and G5 received only the BBN or MNU treatments, respectively, and groups G6 and G7 were not treated with BBN or MNU. Additionally, Groups G2, G3, and G6 were fed diets containing 1, 2, and 2% ginger extract, respectively, while Groups G1, G4, G5, and G7 were fed basal diet. Samples of peripheral blood were collected during the experiment for genotoxicity analysis; blood collected 4 hr after each MNU dose was used for the analysis of DNA damage with the Comet assay (assay performed on leukocytes from all groups), while reficulocytes collected 24 hr after the last MNU treatment of Groups G5-G7 were used for the micronucleus assay. At the end of the experiment, the urinary bladder was removed, fixed, and prepared for histopathological, cell proliferation, and apoptosis evaluations. Ginger by itself was not genotoxic, and it did not alter the DNA damage levels induced by the BBN/MNU treatment during the course of the exposure. The incidence and multiplicity of simple and nodular hyperplasia and transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) were increased by the BBN/MNU treatment, but dietary ginger had no significant effect on these responses. However, in Group G2 (BBN/MNU/2% ginger-treated group), there was an increased incidence of Grade 2 TCC. The results suggest that ginger extract does not inhibit the development of BBN-induced mouse bladder tumors.

Influência da secagem sobre compostos medicinais e de pungência do gengibre

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Identification of serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonists in ginger

Animal studies suggest that ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) reduces anxiety. In this study, bioactivity-guided fractionation of a ginger extract identified nine compounds that interact with the human serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptor with significant to moderate binding affinities (K(i)=3-20 microM). [(35)S]-GTP gamma S assays indicated that 10-shogaol, 1-dehydro-6-gingerdione, and particularly the whole lipophilic ginger extract (K(i)=11.6 microg/ml) partially activate the 5-HT(1A) receptor (20-60% of maximal activation). In addition, the intestinal absorption of gingerols and shogaols was simulated and their interactions with P-glycoprotein were measured, suggesting a favourable pharmacokinetic profile for the 5-HT(1A) active compounds.

Gingerol content of diploid and tetraploid clones of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale, Roscoe), a monocotyledonous, sterile cultigen, is widely used as a spice, flavoring agent, and herbal medicine. The pungency of fresh ginger is due to a series of homologous phenolic ketones of which [6]-gingerol is the major one. The gingerols are thermally unstable and can be converted to their corresponding shogaols, which are present in dried ginger, Fresh rhizomes of 17 clones of Australian ginger, including commercial cultivars and experimental tetraploid clones, were assayed by HPLC for gingerols and shogaols. [6]-Gingerol was identified as the major pungent phenolic compound in all samples, while [8]- and [10]-gingerol occurred in lower concentrations. One cultivar known as Jamaican contained the highest concentrations of all three gingerols and was the most pungent of the clones analyzed. Gingerols were stable in ethanolic solution over a 5-month period when stored at 4 degrees C. Shogaols were not identified in the extracts prepared from fresh rhizomes at ambient temperature, confirming that these compounds are not native constituents of fresh ginger, In contrast to previous findings, this study did not find significant differences in gingerol concentrations between the tetraploid clones and their parent diploid cultivar.

Essential oil composition of diploid and tetraploid clones of ginger (Zingiber officinale roscoe) grown in Australia

Ginger oil, obtained by steam distillation of the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, is used in the beverage and fragrance industries. Ginger oil displays considerable compositional diversity, but is typically characterized by a high content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, including zingiberene, arcurcumene, beta-bisabolene, and beta-sesquiphellandrene. Australian ginger oil has a reputation for possessing a particular lemony aroma, due to its high content of the isomers neral and geranial, often collectively referred to as citral. Fresh rhizomes of 17 clones of Australian ginger, including commercial cultivars and experimental tetraploid clones, were steam distilled 7 weeks post-harvest, and the resulting oils were analyzed by GC-MS. The essential oils of 16 of the 17 clones, including the tetraploid clones and their parent cultivar, were found to be of substantially similar composition. These oils were characterized by very high citral levels (51-71%) and relatively low levels of the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons typical of ginger oil. The citral levels of most of these oils exceeded those previously reported for ginger oils. The neral-to-geranial ratio was shown to be remarkably constant (0.61 +/- 0.01) across all 17 clones. One clone, the cultivar Jamaican, yielded oil with a substantially different composition, lower citral content and higher levels of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Because this cultivar also contains significantly higher concentrations of pungent gingerols, it possesses unique aroma and flavor characteristics, which should be of commercial interest.