Apoptotic Effects of Ginger Extract (Zingiber officinale) on Esophageal Cancer Cells ESO26: An In Vitro Study

Ginger is a natural dietary rhizome with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. It has many medical beneficial properties such as anti-proliferation and antiapoptotic effects on cancerous esophageal cells.

Esophageal cancer cells ESO26 were cultured in the presence and absence of ginger extract at various concentrations for 12, 18, and 24 h. Then, the viability was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Western blot analysis of caspase-3 was performed to detect apoptosis. p21, Bax, and Bcl-2 gene expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test.

The ginger extract increased the cleavage of caspase-3 in cells (P < 0.05). Results of real-time PCR have shown that ginger decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and increased Bax and p21 gene expression (P < 0.05).

Results showed that the process of cell proliferation has been stopped. Also, this study indicated that ginger might exert a chemopreventive effect on esophageal cancer through the suppression of proliferation and the growth of tumor cells as well as the induction of apoptosis.