[Background/Aims] In ginger rhizome, the percentage of 6-gingerol (GING) is high before heating and the percentage of 6-shogaol (SHOG) increases after heating, and SHOG has been reported to activate liver metabolism. We have studied the method of rapid and synchronized dormancy-breaking treatment with Awakening liquid^TM to promote phase transition of content components in seeds, resulting in improved functionality. In this study, we applied this method to ginger rhizome. After the treatment and heating, we evaluated liver activation and final fat-reduction before and after metabolism in the liver, assuming oral administration, including comparison between GING and SHOG.

[Results] At 100nM, apoptotic toxicity was observed in GING both before and after metabolism, and promotion of metabolic activity was observed in SHOG, about 2 times greater after metabolism than before. In SHOG 1000nM, apoptotic toxicity was observed before metabolism, and promotion of metabolic activity was observed after metabolism by detoxification. The SHOG 100 nM decreased liver fat by about 20%. In dormancy-breaking ginger rhizome endosperm, SHOG was found to increase, containing about 8 times more than untreated and about 1.5 times more than non-dormancy-breaking one. There was also a concentration-dependent decrease in liver fat, which was about 27% at 2.0 mg/ml. However, apoptotic toxicity was observed at 3.0 mg/ml and above. Similarly, untreated sample showed little effect at 1.0 mg/ml, and apoptotic toxicity was observed at 2.0 mg/ml and above. In the model experiment assuming oral administration, rapid and synchronized dormancy-breaking ginger rhizome showed high effects on liver mitochondrial activation and fat lowering.