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

Authors: Mahalak, Karley; Narrowe, Adrienne; Firrman, Jenni; Scarino Lemons, Johanna; Liu, Lin

Submitted to: Frontiers in Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/10/2025
Publication Date: 1/26/2026
Citation: Mahalak, K.K., Narrowe, A.B., Firrman, J., Scarino Lemons, J.M., Liu, L.S. 2026. The ginger polyphenol 6 gingerol elicits minimal changes in an ex vivo human gut microbiome. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1711783.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1711783

Interpretive Summary: Ginger (zingiber officinale) root has a long history of use against indigestion, nausea, and other digestive ailments. Ginger root contains many active compounds, including gingerols, which may be responsible for the beneficial effects of ginger root. These compounds may also be used or transformed by the gut microbiome which is the collection of microorganisms that live in the gastrointestinal tract and contribute to digestion and human health. To find out if gingerols change the healthy human gut microbiome, ARS scientists used a laboratory model of the gut microbiomes of multiple age groups to test 6-gingerol, the most abundant gingerol in ginger root. Using DNA sequencing and chemistry analysis techniques, ARS scientists determined that in the model gut microbiomes, 6-gingerol was not disruptive to the gut microbiomes of healthy donors across age groups in a 24-hour period.

Technical 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-hour 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-hour period of treatment.