INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF [6]-GINGEROL, A MAJOR PUNGENT PRINCIPLE OF GINGER, ON PHORBOL ESTER-INDUCED INFLAMMATION, EPIDERMAL ORNITHINE DECARBOXYLASE ACTIVITY AND SKIN TUMOR PROMOTION IN ICR MICE

A wide array of phytochemicals have been shown to possess potential ca ncer chemopreventive properties. Ginger contains pungent phenolic subs tances with pronounced antioxidative and antiinflammatory activities. In the present study, we have determined the antitumor promotional act ivity of [6]-gingerol, a major pungent principle of ginger, using a tw o-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model. Topical application of [6]-gi ngerol onto shaven backs of female ICR mice prior to each topical dose of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) significantly inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced skin papillomagenesis. The com pound also suppressed TPA-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase ac tivity and inflammation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.