# The ginger polyphenol 6-gingerol elicits minimal changes in an ex vivo human gut microbiome

## TL;DR

This study found that 6-gingerol, a compound in ginger, does not significantly affect the healthy human gut microbiome over 24 hours.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the minimal impact of 6-gingerol on a healthy gut microbiome across different age groups.

## Key findings

- 6-gingerol had no significant effect on gut microbiota community density.
- No changes in gut microbiota diversity were observed after 6-gingerol treatment.
- Short-chain fatty acid production remained unaffected by 6-gingerol exposure.

## Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has a long history of use in traditional medicine and the modern world to alleviate health conditions, particularly those related to indigestion and nausea. Gingerols are phenolic bioactive compounds found in ginger. It has been suggested that health benefits associated with gingerols may be due to modification of the gut microbiome, especially in disease models. However, the impact of gingerol on a healthy human gut microbiome, and whether age affects gingerol activity, is not well understood. To address this, the impact of 6-gingerol, the most abundant polyphenol found in ginger, on the gut microbiomes of four age groups (infants, children, adults (22–40), and adults (60+)) was determined using SIFR® technology. Following a 24-h incubation with 6-gingerol, microbial community genomic analysis was performed together with metabolic analysis to determine the impact of 6-gingerol on the gut microbiota ex vivo. Using this method, 6-gingerol was determined to have no significant impact on the gut microbiota in terms of community density, community diversity, or short-chain fatty acid production. This study found that, in healthy gut microbiota, 6-gingerol did not have a strong effect within a 24-h period of treatment.