10-Gingerol Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth by Inducing G2Arrest

Gingerol homologs found in the rhizomes of ginger plants have the potential to benefithuman health, including the prevention and treatment of cancer. This study evaluated the effectof 10-gingerol on ovarian cancer cell (HEY, OVCAR3, and SKOV-3) growth.

Cell growth was measured by MTT assays, flow cytometry was used to assess cellproliferation, cytotoxicity and cell cycle progression, and western blotting was used to measurecyclin protein expression.

Ovarian cancer cells that were treated with 10-gingerol experienced a time- anddose-dependent decrease in cell number, which was due to a reduction in cell proliferationrather than a cytotoxic effect. Reduced proliferation of 10-gingerol-treated ovarian cancercells was associated with an increased percentage of cells in G2 phase of the cell cycle anda corresponding reduction in the percentage of cells in G1. Ovarian cancer cells also showeddecreased cyclin A, B1, and D3 expression following exposure to 10-gingerol.

These findings revealed that 10-gingerol caused a G2 arrest-associated suppressionof ovarian cancer cell growth, which may be exploited in the management of ovarian cancer.