Ginger-Derived Nanoparticles Could Relieve Inflammatory Bowel Disease, New Study Shows

18 Aug 2016 --- A study from the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center has shown that particles derived from ginger could be effective medicine for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease. The particles may also help fight cancer linked to colitis.

The study transformed normal ginger root into what they scientists are calling GDNPs, or ginger-derived nanoparticles. The process involved blending the ginger root, followed by super-high-speed centrifuging and ultrasonic dispersion of the ginger juice, to break it up into single pellets.

Once processed, each ginger-based nanoparticle was about 230 nanometers in diameter, small enough that more than 300 of them could fit across the width of a human hair.

The research team, led by Dr. Didier Merlin, fed the GDNPs to lab mice, and found that they efficiently targeted the colon, being absorbed mainly by cells in the lining of the intestines, where IBD inflammation occurs.

The particles also appeared to reduce acute colitis and prevent chronic colitis and colitis-associated cancer, as well as enhancing intestinal repair. Specifically, they boosted the survival and proliferation of the cells that make up the lining of the colon. Lastly, they also lowered the production of proteins that promote inflammation, and raised the levels of proteins that fight inflammation.

The researchers say that part of the therapeutic effect comes from the high levels of lipids in the particles, a result of the natural fatty molecules found in the ginger plant.

The particles also retained key active constituents found naturally in ginger, such as 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol. Past lab studies have shown the compounds to be active against oxidation, inflammation, and cancer, and are what make standard, non-processed ginger an effective remedy for nausea and other digestion problems.

The research team said: “Delivering these compounds in a nanoparticle may be a more effective way to target colon tissue than simply providing the herb as a food or supplement.”

The idea of fighting IBD with nanoparticles is not new. In recent years, Merlin's lab and others have explored how to deliver conventional drugs via nanotechnology. Some of this research is promising, and the approach may allow low doses of drugs to be delivered only where they are needed, for example inflamed tissue in the colon, thus avoiding unwanted systemic effects.

The researchers say that the advantage of ginger is that it's nontoxic, and could represent a very cost-effective source of medicine. Going forward, the group is looking at ginger, and other plants, as potential "nanofactories for the fabrication of medical nanoparticles.”