Extraction, purification, food applications, and recent advances for enhancing the bioavailability of 6-gingerol from ginger

Abstract

6-Gingerol is the major pharmacologically active component of ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome widely used in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Various extraction and purification methods have been devel-oped to obtain highly purified 6-gingerol. 6-Gingerol can be extracted using conventional and nonconventional extraction techniques. Hydroalcoholic solutions and liquid CO2 are the most suitable solvents for the extraction of 6-gingerol, while microwave-assisted extraction is the best extraction method. High-speed counter-current chro-matography is the purification technique resulting in the highest purity of 6-gingerol. Despite the various biological properties of 6-gingerol, the low bioavailability of 6-gingerol is the main challenge that limits its application. Novel encapsulation and solubilization techniques, including nanoemulsion, complexation, micelles, and solid dispersion methods, have been introduced to enhance the bioavailability of 6-gingerol, overcoming its limitations. 6-Gingerol showed potential applications as a natural antioxidant, preservative, and flavor enhancer as well as demonstrated a synergistic effect with different ingredients for maintaining the quality and shelf-life of the food products. The current work provides a comprehensive review of the prevailing techniques applied for extraction and purification of 6-gingerol from the rhizome of ginger, current research on the application of 6-gingerol in the food industry, and novel advances for increasing its bioavailability.