Cited by 900Garlic and Onion StudiesGenomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stressSulfur Compounds in Biology

Allicin: Chemistry and biological properties

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Borlinghaus, Jan, Albrecht, Frank, Gruhlke, Martin, Nwachukwu, Ifeanyi, Slusarenko, Alan·2014·Molecules

Abstract

Allicin (diallylthiosulfinate) is a defence molecule from garlic (Allium sativum L.) with a broad range of biological activities. Allicin is produced upon tissue damage from the non-proteinogenic amino acid alliin (S-allylcysteine sulfoxide) in a reaction that is catalyzed by the enzyme alliinase. Current understanding of the allicin biosynthetic pathway will be presented in this review. Being a thiosulfinate, allicin is a reactive sulfur species (RSS) and undergoes a redox-reaction with thiol groups in glutathione and proteins that is thought to be essential for its biological activity. Allicin is physiologically active in microbial, plant and mammalian cells. In a dose-dependent manner allicin can inhibit the proliferation of both bacteria and fungi or kill cells outright, including antibiotic-resistant strains like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Furthermore, in mammalian cell lines, including cancer cells, allicin induces cell-death and inhibits cell proliferation. In plants allicin inhibits seed germination and attenuates root-development. The majority of allicin’s effects are believed to be mediated via redox-dependent mechanisms. In sub-lethal concentrations, allicin has a variety of health-promoting properties, for example cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering effects that are advantageous for the cardio-vascular system. Clearly, allicin has wide-ranging and interesting applications in medicine and (green) agriculture, hence the detailed discussion of its enormous potential in this review. Taken together, allicin is a fascinating biologically active compound whose properties are a direct consequence of the molecule’s chemistry.

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Authors
Borlinghaus, J., Albrecht, F., Gruhlke, M., Nwachukwu, I., & Slusarenko, A.
Affiliations
  • RWTH Aachen University (DE)
  • University of Manitoba (CA)
Corresponding author
Slusarenko, Alan
Venue
Molecules
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2014-08-19
Volume
19
Issue
8
Pages
12591-12618
ISSN
1420-3049 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2078757278
Cited by
893
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 102 · 2025: 102 · 2024: 91 · 2023: 99 · 2022: 105 · 2021: 92 · 2020: 80 · 2019: 67 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 46 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 2
FWCI
4.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Molecules (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)
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
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Sulfur Compounds in Biology
Keywords
allicin, garlic, alliin, alliinase, thiosulfinates, reactive sulfur species, glutathione, redox signaling, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, anticancer activity, seed germination inhibition, root development, cardiovascular health, plant defense compounds
MeSH terms
Animals, Anti-Infective Agents, Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic, Disulfides, Humans, Oxidation-Reduction, Sulfinic Acids, Apoptosis, Arabidopsis, Plant Roots, Germination

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