| Summary: | Gingerols are the major pungent compounds present in the rhizomes of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)
and are renowned for their contribution to human health and nutrition. Medicinal properties of ginger,
including the alleviation of nausea, arthritis and pain, have been associated with the gingerols.
Gingerol analogues are thermally labile and easily undergo dehydration reactions to form the
corresponding shogaols, which impart the characteristic pungent taste to dried ginger. Both gingerols
and shogaols exhibit a host of biological activities, ranging from anticancer, anti-oxidant, antimicrobial,
anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic to various central nervous system activities. Shogaols are important
biomarkers used for the quality control of many ginger-containing products, due to their diverse
biological activities. In this review, a large body of available knowledge on the biosynthesis, chemical
synthesis and pharmacological activities, as well as on the structure–activity relationships of various
gingerols and shogaols, have been collated, coherently summarised and discussed. The manuscript
highlights convincing evidence indicating that these phenolic compounds could serve as important lead
molecules for the development of therapeutic agents to treat various life-threatening human diseases,
particularly cancer. Inclusion of ginger or ginger extracts in nutraceutical formulations could provide
valuable protection against diabetes, cardiac and hepatic disorders.
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