Estudo preliminar dos efeitos antioxidantes e radioprotetivos do óleo essencial de gengibre (Zingiber officinale) e outros subprodutos

Abstract

Radioprotective agents can be applied to various fields such as radiobiology, radiotherapy, the military, and also for nuclear accidents. Research on the subject began in 1945, following the detonation of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. Nowadays, FDA-recognized radioprotective agents are few and have various side effects. Consequently, naturally sourced radioprotective agents have been gaining interest for diverse applications. Radiation damages cells by depositing its energy into molecules, producing ions and free radicals. Several essential oils are known for their antioxidant action, making them an option for use as radioprotectors. This study provides a theoretical review of the antioxidant and radioprotective effects of Ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale), which has properties that aid in antioxidant support, cellular support, immune support, and cleansing. Being an oil extracted from dried roots in the Asian region, it possesses a pleasant aroma and is also used for relieving nausea, common among cancer patients undergoing treatment. The present work conducted a systematic literature review using the keywords “radioprotective effect ginger,” “radioprotective effect ginger oil,” and “ginger oil radioprotective antioxidant” on the Google Academy platform. Fifty-one experimental articles were selected, using the title and abstract to verify relevance to the proposed theme, as well as based on accessibility. It was found that if only articles utilizing ginger essential oil as the antioxidant agent were selected, only one article would qualify. Therefore, articles discussing the plant extract, ginger powder, and other compounds like zingiberone derived from ginger were included. The present study showed that although ginger essential oil has antioxidant properties, more in-depth research is needed that is also applied to the radioprotection of cells.