Hereditary Genetics: Current Research

Abstract

Cancer Chemoprevention by Garlic - A Review

Pandrangi A

Natural products remain an important source of new drugs, new drug leads and new chemical entities. They offer a great opportunity to evaluate totally new chemical classes of anticancer agents, as novel lead compounds with potentially relevant mechanisms of action. Numerous agents identified from fruits and vegetables can used in anticancer therapy, of which Allium vegetables, especially garlic, is one among them. The anticarcinogenic effect of garlic is attributed to organosulfur compounds (OSC) such as alliin, alliinase, allicin, S-allyl cysteine (SAC), diallyldisulphide (DADS), diallyltrisulphide (DATS) and methylallyltrisuphide, which are highly effective in affording protection against cancer. Other beneficial effects include anti-atherosclerosis, blood lipids and sugar modulation, antifungal, antimicrobial, antithrombotic, cardiovascular disease treatment and stimulating immune system. Chewing or cutting the bulbs of garlic activates the enzyme allinase which transforms the amino acid alliin to allicin which is a precursor to several sulphur containing compounds that are responsible for the flavour, odour and pharmacological properties of Allium sativum. An attempt has been made to review current knowledge on molecular targets of cancer chemoprevention by OSC present in garlic.