The variation of 6-gingerol content in ginger from different growth areas in Thailand

Ginger ( Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) is a medicinal plant rich in essential vitamins and minerals that benefit human health. It has long been utilized as a culinary spice and in traditional medicine to enhance the immune system and alleviate various ailments, including colds, asthma, allergies, fevers, and pain. Its active compound, gingerol, is important in its medicinal properties. This study aimed to investigate the 6-gingerol of ginger from different growth areas in Thailand. The ethanolic extract of 12 ginger was analyzed by measuring the 6-gingerol content using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the 6-gingerol content varied, ranging from 21.33 to 119.03 mg/g. Eight ginger, including GS01, GS02, GS03, GS04, GS05, GS06, GS08, and GS10, produced high levels of 6-gingerol, ranging from 82.38 to 119.03 mg/g. Specifically, CRI06, MSN04, and SSK01 produced more than 100 mg/g of 6-gingerol (100.90, 106.73, and 101.21 mg/g, respectively). These samples were found in soils with optimal characteristics for promoting 6-gingerol production, such as suitable levels of organic matter (ranged between 3.44 and 6.11%), pH (ranged between 5.9 and 6.5), phosphorus (ranged between 144.0 and 384.2 mg/kg), potassium (ranged between 158.0 and 352.5 mg/kg), and nitrogen (ranged between 0.17 and 0.30%). For the remaining four ginger, including GS07, GS09, GS11, and GS12, the 6-gingerol content was below 80 mg/g, which might be due to the incomplete quality of the cultivation area. This research suggests that soil quality is a key factor in the production of the compound [ 1 ]. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany