Preventing cancer in the colon: Effect of ginger root extract on markers of inflammation in colon mucosa in people at high risk for colorectal cancer.

1570 Background: Studies using drugs that inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1,-2) indicate that up-regulation of inflammatory eicasanoids, and in particular prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are early events in the development of CRC. Ginger root has demonstrated down regulation of COX-1,-2, apoptosis in CRC cell lines and decreased incidence and multiplicity of adenomas in rats. This study was conducted to determine if 2.0 g/day of ginger extract could decrease the levels of PGE2, 5-,12-, & 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-,12-, & 15-HETE), 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE) and Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), in the gut mucosa of people at increased risk of colorectal cancer when taken for 28 days. Methods: A total of 20 subjects were randomized to 2.0 g/day ginger or placebo for 28 days. Flexible sigmoidoscopy at baseline and day 28 was used to obtain rectal biopsies. A liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was used to simultaneously determine PGE2, 5-HETE, 12-HETE, 15-HETE, LTB4 and 13-HODE...