RP-HPLC analysis of phenolic antioxidant compound 6-gingerol from different ginger cultivars

The aim of this work was to assess the antioxidant capacity and phenolic content from the rhizomes of 12 ginger cultivars from different agro climatic zones of India. The quantities of phenolic compound 6-gingerol was determined with reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) which was ranging from 0.1% to 0.2%. The antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power) assays. The rhizome of Rajasthan and Rio De Janero cultivars were good sources for these compounds among the cultivars examined. The cultivars with high 6-gingerol content had strongest free radical scavenging activities and this was also supported by statistically high significant correlation between the two (R2 = 0.850, P < 0.001).