Main bioactive compound in ginger root may protect against progression of autoimmune disease

Naturopathy, or herbal medicine, is all the rage, especially among young people. But to what extent is this supported by science?

Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, making it a popular herbal supplement for treating inflammatory diseases.

And according to a study by Michigan Medicine published in Insight JCI, the main bioactive compound in ginger root, 6-gingerol, is therapeutic against the mechanism that fuels certain autoimmune diseases in mice. The researchers looked specifically at lupus, a disease that attacks the body’s immune system, and its often associated disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, which causes blood clots because both cause widespread inflammation and damage organs over time. time.

In mice with antiphospholipid syndrome or lupus, 6-gingerol prevented the release of the extracellular neutrophil trap, which is triggered by the autoantibodies that these diseases produce.

“Extracellular neutrophil traps, or NETs, ​​originate from white blood cells called neutrophils,” says lead author Ramadan Ali, Ph.D. “These sticky spider web-like structures form when autoantibodies interact with receptors at the surface of neutrophils. “

According to Ali, these webs play an important role in the pathogenesis of lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome where they trigger the formation of autoantibodies and contribute to clotting and damage to blood vessels.

The question for the study was: “Does the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger extend to neutrophils, and more specifically, can this natural medicine prevent neutrophils from making NETs that contribute to disease progression?” “

“This preclinical study in mice offers a surprising and exciting ‘yes’,” says Ali.

Ali found that after giving 6-gingerol, the mice had lower levels of NETs. Their tendency to clot has also been significantly reduced, and 6-gingerol appears to inhibit neutrophilic enzymes called phosphodiesterases, which in turn reduce activation of neutrophils.

But the most surprising finding of all was that mice, whether they had antiphospholipid syndrome or lupus, had reduced autoantibodies suggesting that the inflammatory cycle, the NETs-stimulating autoantibodies that stimulate more autoantibodies, was broken. .

Next steps and potential implications

“During my medical school years, I wasn’t taught a lot about supplements, but it’s something that many patients ask me about,” says Jason Knight, MD, study author and rheumatologist. “When Ramadan introduced me to the concept, I was excited to continue in my lab because I knew it would matter to them. Sometimes our patients give us great ideas! “

Although the study was performed in mouse models, Ali and Knight believe that preclinical data, showing that 6-gingerol has anti-neutrophilic properties that may protect against the progression of autoimmune disease, encourages the development. clinical trials.

“As with virtually all treatments in our field, one size does not fit all. But, I wonder if there is a subgroup of autoimmune patients with hyperactive neutrophils who might benefit from an increase in 6-gingerol intake, ”says Knight. “It will be important to study neutrophils before and after treatment so that we can determine which subgroup is most likely to see a benefit.”

The bioactive compound may not be the primary treatment for someone with active antiphospholipid syndrome or lupus, but the team wants to see if the natural supplement can help people at high risk of developing the disease.

“Those who have autoantibodies, but do not have activated disease, may benefit from this treatment if 6-gingerol is found to be a protective agent in humans as it does in mice,” says Ali , passionate about research in natural medicine for rheumatic diseases. .

“Patients with active disease take blood thinners, but what if there was also a natural supplement that helped them reduce the amount of clots they produce? What if we could lower their autoantibodies? ? “