The currently available anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT) comprises exclusively of anti-bacterial drugs, is very lengthy, has adverse side effects on the host and leads to the generation of drug-resistant variants. Therefore, a combination therapy directed against the pathogen and the host is required to counter tuberculosis (TB). Here we demonstrate that [6]-Gingerol, one of the most potent and pharmacologically active ingredients of ginger restricted mycobacterial growth inside the lungs, spleen and liver of mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The spleen of [6]-Gingerol treated mice displayed increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced Th1/Th17 responses confirming the immunomodulatory action of [6]-Gingerol. Finally, [6]-Gingerol displayed an excellent potential as an adjunct drug, along with front line anti-TB drug isoniazid. Interestingly, [6]-Gingerol displayed stark anti-tubercular activity against dormant/starved bacilli and drug-resistant variants of Mtb. Taken together, these results indicate strong prospects of [6]-Gingerol as an adjunct anti-mycobacterial and immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant strains of TB.

目前可用的抗结核治疗（ATT）仅由抗菌药物组成，疗程非常长，对宿主有不良副作用，并导致耐药变异的产生。因此，需要针对病原体和宿主的联合疗法来对抗结核病（TB）。在这里，我们证明，[6]-姜酚是生姜中最有效和最具药理活性的成分之一，它可以限制感染结核分枝杆菌( Mtb ) 的小鼠肺、脾和肝内分枝杆菌的生长。 [6]-Gingerol 治疗小鼠的脾脏显示促炎细胞因子表达增加和 Th1/Th17 反应增强，证实了 [6]-Gingerol 的免疫调节作用。最后，[6]-姜酚与一线抗结核药物异烟肼一起显示出作为辅助药物的巨大潜力。有趣的是，[6]-姜酚对休眠/饥饿杆菌和结核分枝杆菌耐药变种表现出明显的抗结核活性。总而言之，这些结果表明[6]-姜酚作为辅助抗分枝杆菌和免疫调节药物用于治疗药物敏感和耐药菌株的结核病具有广阔的前景。