Perspectives on two major bioactives in ginger, 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol, focusing on the in vivo metabolic fate and bioactivities

Ginger, a globally cultivated spice and medicinal herb, is renowned for its health benefits and distinctive flavor. As ginger’s main pungent and bioactive components, 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol share similar physicochemical properties and can be obtained by extraction from ginger or chemical synthesis. After oral ingestion, the biological fate of 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol are influenced by processes including absorption, biotransformation, distribution, and excretion. Both compounds exert multiple health-promoting effects in vivo, such as anti-cancer properties, amelioration of neurological diseases, inhibition of ulcerative colitis, improvement of diabetes, and protection against heart injury. This review summarizes the latest findings on the chemical properties, in vivo metabolic fate, and bioactivities of 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol, providing a comprehensive understanding of their health-promoting effects and offering suggestions for their application in food and nutraceutical fields.