Cited by 399Garlic and Onion StudiesGenomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stressChemical synthesis and alkaloids

Garlic [Allium sativum]: A review of its potential use as an anti-cancer agent

Thomson, Martha, Ali, Muslim·2003·Current Cancer Drug Targets

Abstract

Garlic [Allium sativum] is among the oldest of all cultivated plants. It has been used as a medicinal agent for thousands of years. It is a remarkable plant, which has multiple beneficial effects such as antimicrobial, antithrombotic, hypolipidemic, antiarthritic, hypoglycemic and antitumor activity. In this review, we will discuss particularly the largely preclinical use of this agent in the treatment and prevention of cancer. A number of studies have demonstrated the chemopreventive activity of garlic by using different garlic preparations including fresh garlic extract, aged garlic, garlic oil and a number of organosulfur compounds derived from garlic. The chemopreventive activity has been attributed to the presence of organosulfur compounds in garlic. How this is achieved is not fully understood, but several modes of action have been proposed. These include its effect on drug metabolizing enzymes, antioxidant properties and tumor growth inhibition. Most of these studies were carried out in the animal models. Also, recent research has focused on the antimutagenic activity of garlic. Recently, it has been observed that aged garlic extract, but not the fresh garlic extract, exhibited radical scavenging activity. The two major compounds in aged garlic, S-allylcysteine and S-allylmercapto-L-cysteine, had the highest radical scavenging activity. In addition, some organosulfur compounds derived from garlic, including S-allylcysteine, have been found to retard the growth of chemically induced and transplantable tumors in several animal models. Therefore, the consumption of garlic may provide some kind of protection from cancer development.

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Crossref · 10.2174/1568009033333736

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135 of 135 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Allicin can easily degrade under the influence of temperature to form ajoenes and vinyldithiins, which are more stable than allicin.

    “Previous studies reported that allicin can easily degrade under the influence of temperature to form ajoenes ((E)- and (Z)-4, 5, 9-trithiadodeca-1, 6, 11-triene-9-oxides) and vinyldithiins which are more stable than allicin [43].”

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Authors
Thomson, M., & Ali, M.
Affiliations
Kuwait University (KW)
Venue
Current Cancer Drug Targets
Published
2003-02-01
Volume
3
Issue
1
Pages
67-81
ISSN
1568-0096 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2139539409
Cited by
399
References
138
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 13
FWCI
19.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Current Cancer Drug Targets (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Garlic and Onion Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Chemical synthesis and alkaloids
Keywords
garlic, anticancer activity, chemoprevention, organosulfur compounds, aged garlic extract, garlic oil, S-allylcysteine, free radical scavenging, antioxidant activity, antimutagenic activity, drug-metabolizing enzymes, tumor growth inhibition, medicinal plants
MeSH terms
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic, Antioxidants, Cell Cycle, Garlic, Humans, Phytotherapy, Neoplasms, Plant Extracts, Plants, Medicinal, Apoptosis

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