6‐Gingerol, an active pungent component of ginger, inhibits L‐type Ca(2+) current, contractility, and Ca(2+) transients in isolated rat ventricular myocytes

Ginger has been widely used as a flavor, food, and traditional medicine for centuries. 6‐Gingerol (6‐Gin) is the active components of ginger and offers some beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases. Here, the effects of 6‐Gin on L‐type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca‐L)), contractility, and the Ca(2+ )transients of rat cardiomyocytes, were investigated via patch‐clamp technique and the Ion Optix system. The 6‐Gin decreased the I(Ca‐L )of normal and ischemic ventricular myocytes by 58.17 ± 1.05% and 55.22 ± 1.34%, respectively. 6‐Gin decreased I(Ca‐L )in a concentration‐dependent manner with a half‐maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of 31.25 μmol/L. At 300 μmol/L, 6‐Gin reduced the cell shortening by 48.87 ± 5.44% and the transients by 42.5 ± 9.79%. The results indicate that the molecular mechanisms underlying the cardio‐protective effects of 6‐Gin may because of a decreasing of intracellular Ca(2+) via the inhibition of I(Ca‐L) and contractility in rat cardiomyocytes.