ABSTRACT
Ginger [Zingiber officinale] is used as a cooking spice in the diet in many parts of the world. Recent research has found ginger to have various pharmacological properties due to a variety of active constituents, including shogaols and gingerols. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of alcohol extract of Zingiber officinale on the fractions of serum protein in mice. In this experimental study, four groups of male adult mice [eight per group] were used. Group one [control] received normal saline, groups two, three, and four were received 10 mg/Kg, 20 mg/Kg and 40 mg/Kg alcohol extract of ginger, respectively every 4 hr. for 20 days interaperitoneally. Blood sample was obtained from ophthalmic sinus of the mouse. The levels of pre-albumin, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta, and gamma globulins were separated electrophoretically and total protein was measured. Then, albumin/ globulins [A/G] ratio was calculated from the pattern of electrophoretogram. Data were analyzed using Toki and Zemon tests. Extract of Zingiber officinale increased significantly levels of albumin and serum total protein in groups 3 [3.7 +/- 0.25g/dl] and 4 [3.71 +/- 0.37g/dl] compared with the control group [P<0.05]. However, the levels of alpha-1, alpha-2, beta and gamma globulins were not significantly different in these groups [P>0.05]. Also, A/G ratio in group 3 [2.05 +/- 48g/dl] was significantly more than that in the control group [1.37 +/- 0.16g/dl] [P<0.05]. It seems that without antigenic stimulation, Zingiber had no effect on the synthesis of globulin. Albumin synthesis occurs in the liver cells, therefore increasing of albumin synthesis would be a symptom indicating improvement of liver cells activity