Effects of Dried Ginger Ethanol Extract on Gluten Sensitivity

Abstract

In this study, we used dried ginger ethanol extracts which had been used for alleviation of pain and antipyretics for a long time, and confirmed anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities among various pharmacological actions of dried ginger. The result of antioxidant activity using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity, dried ginger shows concentration-dependent radical scavenging activity and more than 80% radical scavenging activity at concentration of dried ginger above 1 mg/ml. Also, in the mouse experiment in which gluten intolerance was induced by providing gluten meal, the effect of inhibiting weight loss was confirmed comparing administrated gluten group and dried ginger administration group. In addition, IL-4, an allergic cytokine, was measured in the small intestine and serum using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), the results showed that IL-4 production in the dried ginger administration group was significantly reduced compared with the administered gluten 200 mg/ml group. In case of IL-6 and TNF-α production, which are inflammatory cytokines, decreased in the primary culture cell treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for induction of inflammation after treatment with dried ginger in a dose-dependent manner. As a result, it was confirmed that the dried ginger extract has a high antioxidant activity and has a mitigating effect on the gluten intolerance which is an inflammatory allergic reaction.