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Over the course of a lifetime, colon health is contingent upon many genetic and dietary factors. Studies over the last two decades have indicated that a plant-based diet rich in phytochemicals supports cellular homeostasis in the colon, and multiple mechanisms account for these protective effects.¹ The most widely acclaimed mechanism is inflammatory balance. Numerous studies have established that addressing "silent" inflammatory balance in the colon mucosa help to maintain healthy cells.² This balance is largely determined by the cellular profile of chemical messengers known as eicosanoids.

A new clinical study recently published in Cancer Prevention Research examined the efficacy of Pure Encapsulations ginger on eicosanoid balance in the colon of healthy human subjects.3 The randomized, placebo-controlled trial, conducted at the University of Michigan Medical School, assigned 30 healthy subjects to receive 2 grams of Pure Encapsulations Ginger extract, standardized to 5% gingerols, or placebo daily for 4 weeks. Biopsies of the colon mucosa were obtained at baseline and after the 4-week period and were analyzed for eicosanoid levels. Significant support for colon health was evidenced by a 28% mean change in prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and a 16% mean change in hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). As prior studies have correlated healthy levels of PGE₂ and HETEs with inflammatory balance and cellular homeostasis, these shifts are positive indicators of cellular health.²

In colon mucosal cells, PGE₂ and HETEs are generated from a common precursor, arachidonic acid, via the enzymes cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and lipoxygenases (LOX), respectively (Figure 1). However, modulating COX-2 alone seldom achieves a desirable eicosanoid balance. Concomitant targeting of COX-2 and LOX activity provides more powerful cellular protection than either enzyme alone.⁴ The current study observed a healthy profile of PGE2 and HETEs, supporting effective modulation of both enzymes.

Figure 1. Cellular health requires inflammatory balance, which is maintained by eicosanoid homeostasis. COX-2 and LOX convert arachidonic acid to PGE2 and HETEs, respectively. Ginger targets both enzymes to maintain eicosanoid balance and cellular health in the colon.*

Researchers believe that ginger's capacity to concurrently modulate COX-2 and multiple forms of LOX partially explain its remarkable efficacy and tolerability. Recent research has established that ginger additionally intersects more elaborate signal transduction and gene expression programs that engage inflammatory responses.⁵ Principal investigator Dr. Suzanna M. Zick, Assistant Research Professor at the University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine, commented on the multiplicity of cellular pathways that determine colon health. "It is best to target more than one," explained Zick. "If you are able to affect different pathways, you will have a better chance of protection."

The effects of ginger on prostaglandin biosynthesis were first reported in the 1970s and have since been supported by cellular, animal and human studies. While larger studies over longer durations are warranted, this study demonstrates that daily supplementation with 2 grams, provided in 4 capsules of Pure Encapsulations Ginger extract, supports well-established markers of colon health.