Zingerone Zingerone puts the zing in ginger and is also a flavor ingredient in mustard oil. Zingerone is sparingly soluble in water, but also freely soluble in fats and oils. The higher molecular weight of zingerone in combination with the polar side-chain carbonyl group makes zingerone molecules attract each other more strongly than eugenol and vanillin molecules do. As a result, zingerone is less volatile than either eugenol or vanillin. The odor of ginger isn't strong, but the hydrocarbon tail gives it a more intense flavor when it does come into contact with its receptor.
Ginger root is a popular folk medicine.
Some of the beneficial medicinal qualities claimed for ginger may stem from zingerone's effectiveness as an antioxidant. Zingerone reacts with free radicals that can cause tissue damage and inflammation. Studies by researchers at Case Western University show that a topically applied extract containing zingerone may help prevent some skin cancers. It occurs in much lower quantities in oregano, cinnamon, and cilantro. That makes capsaicin's volatility very low, and it is completely odorless.