Ginger & Cancer: Metabolism & Natural Compounds
- Osaka, Japan – A team at Osaka Metropolitan University is exploring how natural compounds can provide answers to complex cellular questions, possibly leading to new cancer treatments.
- Human cells generate energy through a process called oxidation, converting glucose into ATP.
- Associate Professor Akiko kojima-Yuasa and her team analyzed ethyl p-methoxycinnamate to understand its mechanism.
Discover how a compound in kencur ginger is shaking up cancer research. Scientists are dissecting the role ethyl p-methoxycinnamate plays in disrupting cancer cell energy production. This groundbreaking study,explored by researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University,reveals that this natural compound inhibits ATP production by impacting fatty acid synthesis,a surprising find in the ongoing quest to understand cancer metabolism. Healthy cells generate energy through oxidation while cancer cells favor glycolysis. This less efficient methodology is part of the Warburg effect. News Directory 3 highlights the importance of this research. The team’s discoveries are expected to identify new therapeutic targets, potentially leading to innovative cancer treatments. Discover what’s next …
Ginger Compound’s Role in Disrupting Cancer Cell Energy Production
Updated June 15, 2025
Osaka, Japan – A team at Osaka Metropolitan University is exploring how natural compounds can provide answers to complex cellular questions, possibly leading to new cancer treatments. Their focus: the role of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate, a key component of kencur ginger, in disrupting cancer cell energy production.
Human cells generate energy through a process called oxidation, converting glucose into ATP. Cancer cells,however,often use glycolysis,even when oxygen is available,producing pyruvic and lactic acids. This less efficient method,known as the Warburg effect,has puzzled scientists.
Associate Professor Akiko kojima-Yuasa and her team analyzed ethyl p-methoxycinnamate to understand its mechanism. Previous research indicated the compound inhibits cancer cells. In this study,thay administered it to Ehrlich ascites tumor cells to pinpoint which part of the cells’ energy pathway was affected.
The results showed the acid ester inhibits ATP production by disrupting fatty acid synthesis and lipid metabolism, not glycolysis as initially thought. The team also found that the inhibition spurred increased glycolysis, possibly as a survival tactic. Researchers believe this adaptability stems from the compound’s inability to induce cell death.
“These findings not only provide new insights that supplement and expand the theory of the Warburg effect, which can be considered the starting point of cancer metabolism research, but are also expected to lead to the finding of new therapeutic targets and the development of new treatment methods,” said Professor Kojima-Yuasa.
What’s next
The team plans further research to explore how these findings can translate into new cancer therapies, targeting the unique metabolic vulnerabilities of cancer cells.