Ginger is known as a remedy for coughs and colds. Japanese scientists have now found that an extract from the rhizome of a ginger family plant can also suppress cancer cell growth. They isolated a compound that damages malignant tumors.
Researchers at Osaka University studied Kaempferia galanga, also called aromatic ginger, which grows in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
After several tests, the scientists isolated ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EMC), which can suppress cancer cell development in preclinical models. Further experiments showed that EMC stops cancer cells from multiplying.
The team is continuing preclinical experiments on models of different tumor types to confirm how broadly and how well the new compound works. If they succeed, the scientists could develop drugs that stop malignant tumors from forming and growing without the toxic side effects of chemotherapy.
