• Ginger
  • Ginger

Ginger

  • Scientific Name
    Zingiber officinale
  • Family
    Zingiberaceae
  • Origin
    China, India, Jamaica,Africa, Indonesia, Mexicoetc.

CONTENTS

Plant description

Ginger is a perennial herb belonging to the Zingiberaceae family and grows to about 1 meter in height. Its leaves are long and slender. While relatively rare in Japan, ginger plants do flower and can occasionally be spotted in warmer climates. The rhizome of the ginger plant possesses a distinctive shape resembling that of a deer antler, which is believed to be the origin of its name “ginger” (from “Zingiber” in Latin). It has a slight yellowish white color and emits a strong and unique aroma.
Ginger has a rich historical and cultural significance. It has served as an essential spice in Chinese and Indian cuisines for centuries and has also been employed as a medicinal herb in various countries. Ginger is considered one of the oldest spices to have made its way from China to Europe.  It is said to have originated in India, China, and Indonesia, but is now grown industrially in most tropical countries like Africa and the West Indies.

Essential oil composition

Ginger

  • Ginger

  • INCI
    ZINGIBER OFFICINALE (GINGER) ROOT OIL
  • Parts of Plant Used
    Root
  • Extraction Method
    Steam Distillation
  • Extraction Rate
    0.５% - 1.0% (dried)
  • Notes
    Base
  • Aroma Family
    Spice

Ginger Essential Oil Properties & Uses

About 0.5%-1.0% of Ginger essential oil is obtained by steam distillation from the root, with a slightly yellowish color. Its primary constituent is β-Zingiberene, and it also contains components like citral, which contribute to its refreshing lemon-like aroma. However, it's the spicy and hot impression characteristic of ginger that makes it familiar to us.
Ginger essential oil is versatile and finds use not only in men's fragrances but also in women's oriental notes. Recently, its spicy aroma has been utilized to create an image associated with body slimming effects. This essential oil plays a pivotal role in oriental scents and has been a secret spice in fragrance creation. It pairs exceptionally well with slightly bitter scents such as Lemongrass, Yuzu, and Mandarin, as well as invigorating scents like Rosemary and Lemon. Given its potent scent, it is advisable to maintain a balanced blend, ensuring not to overpower by using excessive amounts.

Essential oil composition

Essential oil composition

※An example of one batch production is shown here.

  • α-Zingiberene　33.43%
  • β-Sesquiphellandrene　11.75%
  • β-Bisabolene　7.70%
  • α-Curcumene　7.29%
  • Camphene　6.86%
  • β-Phellandrene　6.70%
  • α-Pinene　3.21%
  • Limonene　1.60%
  • Citral　0.56%
  • Other components　20.90％

Functions and Efficacies

α-Pinene

α-Pinene
  • IUPAC Name
    (+)-α-Pinene: (1R,5R)-2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene
    (-)-α-Pinene: (1S,5S)-2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene
  • Molecular Formula
    C10H16
  • Molecular Weight
    136.23 g/mol
  • CAS No.
    (+)-α-Pinene: 7785-70-8
    (-)-α-Pinene: 7785-26-4
  • Structure
    Bicyclic monoterpene

Functions and Efficacies of α-Pinene

in slico in vitro ex vivo in vivo
Non-clinical Clinical
Mice Rats Guinea Pigs Insects Rabbits Human
Stress Reduction ○
Anti-bacterial Effects ○
Anti-inflammatory Effects ○

Stress Reduction

A study reported that brain tumors in mice that inhaled the fragrance of α-pinene became smaller. However, no melanoma cell growth was observed with the addition of α-pinene, indicating a potential psychological effect .1)

Anti-bacterial Effects

A study reported that α-pinene had an inhibitory effect on the growth of blue staining fungi, both when exposed to gas and when added to the culture medium2)

Anti-inflammatory Effects

It is known that the addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 cells induces the production of nitric oxide (NO), a substance that causes inflammation. A study reported that the production of NO was suppressed by the addition of α-pinene.3)

  • 1)Kusuhara et al., Biomedical Research, 2012
  • 2)岡村、木材保存、
  • 3)Kwak et al., Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 2019

Citral

Citral
  • IUPAC Name
    (2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienal
  • Molecular Formula
    C10H16O
  • Molecular Weight
    152.23 g/mol
  • CAS No.
    5392-40-5
  • Structure
    Monoterpene

Functions and Efficacies of Citral

in slico in vitro ex vivo in vivo
Non-clinical Clinical
Mice Rats Guinea Pigs Insects Rabbits Human
Stress Reduction ○
Anti-bacterial Effects ○
Anti-cancer Effects ○

Stress Reduction

A study reported that mice exposed to cold stress at 4°C exhibited suppressed increases in brain monoamine levels within the citral-treated group.1)

Acti-bacterial Effects

A study reported that when Aspergillus niger was cultivated in a growth medium supplemented with citral, it exhibited superior antimicrobial activity compared to other essential oil components. Additionally, citral demonstrated a longer-lasting antimicrobial effect against multiple fungi.2)

Anti-cancer Effects

A study reported that the administration of citral to human breast cancer-derived 3D-cultured cells resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in the size of cell aggregates. Additionally, in experiments utilizing AnnexinV/7AAD flow cytometry—a method used to detect apoptotic cells—an increase in apoptotic cells was observed following citral administration.3)

  • 1)Fukumoto et al., Stress and Health, 2008
  • 2)岡村、木材保存、2002
  • 3)Nigjeh et al., BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018

Limonene

Limonene
  • IUPAC Name
    1-methyl-4-prop-1-en-2-ylcyclohexene
  • Molecular Formula
    C10H16
  • Molecular Weight
    136.23 g/mol
  • CAS No.
    138-86-3
  • Structure
    Monocyclic monoterpene

Functions and Efficacies of Limonene

in slico in vitro ex vivo in vivo
Non-clinical Clinical
Mice Rats Guinea Pigs Insects Rabbits Human
Stress Reduction ○
Memory Improvement ○ ○
Anti-cancer Effects ○ ○ ○

Stress Reduction

A study reported that mice subjected to cold stress at 4°C (41°F) exhibited reduced elevations in blood corticosterone levels when treated with limonene. Furthermore, the same report demonstrated that limonene effectively lowered corticosterone levels in the blood of mice exposed to both physical and mental stress.1)

Memory Improvement

A study reported that when acetylcholinesterase reacts with acetylthiocholine in phosphate-buffered saline, the introduction of limonene inhibits the degradation by acetylcholinesterase. Acetylcholinesterase plays a role in the breakdown of acetylcholine, a hormone associated with memory and learning. In the same report, it was also noted that limonene suppressed memory impairment induced by scopolamine administration in rats.2)

Anti-cancer Effects

A report indicated that the consumption of limonene by breast cancer patients resulted in reduced expression of Cyclin D1, a protein crucial for cell division, within tumors.3)Furthermore, numerous other studies have also documented the anticancer properties of limonene.4)5)

  • 1)Fukumoto et al., Stress and Health, 2008
  • 2)Zhou et al., Nutritional Neuroscience,, 2013
  • 3)Miller et al., Cancer Prevntion Research, 2013
  • 4)Ajikumaran Nair S et al., Phytomedicine, 2018
  • 5)Chaudhary et al., Human & Experimental Toxicology, 2012

IFRA

Ginger：
No restrictions applied

※Only information for selected components are shown here.

References
Jennie Harding [Handbook of Essential Oil and Plant Oil] Tokyo-do Publishing, 2010.
Shinichiro Otsuki/Yukiko Ozaki [Scientific Name Etymology Dictionary of Herbs] Tokyo-do Publishing, 2009.
Jennie Harding [Illustrated Reference Book of Herbs] Sancho Publishing, 2012.
Freddy Ghozland/Xavier Fernandez [L’Herbier Parfume] Hara Publishing, 2013.
Kyohei Mikami [Comprehensive Guide to Essential Oils] Fragrance Journal, 2010.
Yuzuru Ogura [Dictionary of Plants] Tokyo-do Publishing, 1957.
Nobuo Ohashi [Dictionary of Medical Herbs] Tokyo-do Publishing, 2016.
Wanda Sellar [The directory of essential oils] Fragrance Journal, 1992.
Aroma Environment Association of Japan [AEAJ Aromatherapy Certification Official Textbook grade1&2] Sekaibunka, 1999.
Robert Tissearand [Essential Oil Safety] Fragrance Journal, 2018.
Ayako Berg [Aromatherapy Essential Oil Dictionary] Seibido Shuppan, 2022.
Azusa Annells [Enjoying Fragrance: An Illustrated Book of Aromas with Characteristics]Natsumesha CO.,LTD., 2023
(All written in or translated to Japanese.)
Supervisor
Yamamoto Perfumery co., ltd.

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