Enhancement of Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion and Pancreatic β-Cell Functionality Through Microwave-Assisted Processing of Zingiber officinale Roscoe

The pharmacological effects of ginger extract from Zingiber officinale Roscoe are well-established; however, more refined extraction methods for higher-quality yields are needed. This study isolated and evaluated 6-, 8-, and 10-shogaol and 6-, 8-, and 10-gingerol from ginger extract, assessing their effects on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). To ensure safety, non-toxic concentrations were determined for pancreatic β-cells. Both non-processed and microwave-processed ginger extracts enhanced GSIS, with microwave-treated extracts exhibiting the strongest effect. Specifically, the microwave-processed ginger extract increased the glucose stimulation index (GSI) to 12.4 ± 0.4 at 5 μg/mL, compared to a GSI of 7.7 ± 0.2 observed for the non-processed ginger extract. Notably, fraction F4 of the microwave-processed extract demonstrated superior GSIS activity. In contrast, steam-processed ginger extract induced only a modest increase in GSI under limited exposure conditions. Furthermore, 6-shogaol emerged as a key compound, correlating with increased expression of proteins crucial for pancreatic β-cell regulation. Microwave-assisted processing notably altered the content and proportion of shogaols and gingerols, significantly impacting GSIS activity. These findings underscore the importance of extraction methods in enhancing ginger’s pharmacological potential in regulating insulin secretion and pancreatic β-cell function.