Bioactivity of Zingiberaceae Extracts and Derived Compounds
Summary
The Zingiberaceae family, encompassing genera such as Zingiber, Curcuma and Kaempferia, is recognised for its rich repository of bioactive metabolites. Rhizome extracts yield complex mixtures of terpenoids, phenylbutenoids, curcuminoids and other phenolic derivatives. These compounds exhibit a broad spectrum of activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, neuroprotective and antiretroviral effects. Mechanistic studies reveal modulation of pro-inflammatory signalling pathways, inhibition of key viral and cellular enzymes, free-radical scavenging and induction of programmed cell death in malignant cells. Advances in extraction methodologies, chromatographic separation and spectrometric characterisation have refined compound profiling and enabled the identification of novel scaffolds. The global significance of this research lies in its potential to inform development of new therapeutics, functional foods and cosmeceuticals, while ongoing safety and pharmacokinetic evaluations aim to translate traditional knowledge into evidence-based applications.
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Bioactivity of Zingiberaceae Extracts and Derived Compounds publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactivity of zingiberaceae extracts and derived compounds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Rhizome: Subterranean stem that bears roots and buds, serving as a primary source of plant extracts.
Phenylbutenoid: Aromatic compound consisting of a phenyl ring attached to a butene side chain, often implicated in anti-inflammatory activity.
Terpenoid: Class of isoprene-derived natural products with diverse structures and pharmacological properties.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS): Analytical technique combining chromatographic separation and mass detection for identification of volatile and semi-volatile compounds.
HIV-1 protease: Viral enzyme that cleaves polyprotein precursors into functional proteins, a key target for antiretroviral agents.
HIV-1 reverse transcriptase: Enzyme that converts viral RNA into DNA, essential for retroviral replication and a target for inhibitor screening.
References
- Characterization of the Volatile Constituents of Plai (Zingiber purpureum) by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Molecules (2024).
- Phytochemicals and Bioactivities of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. Molecules (2021).
- HIV-1 Protease and Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitory Activities of Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb. Rhizome Extracts and the Phytochemical Profile Analysis: In Vitro and In Silico Screening. Pharmaceuticals (2021).
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