Anti-cancer activities of S-allylmercaptocysteine from aged garlic / 中国天然药物

While most types of malignancies remain recalcitrant to treatment, application of natural products or their analogs in daily life has offered some hopes as an effective prophylaxis against cancer onset and progression in the past decades. Emerging evidence supports a link between garlic consumption and decreased cancer incidence. Notably, aged garlic extract (AGE) exhibits stronger anti-cancer activities than that of fresh garlic, by virtue of enrichment of several AGE-specific organosulfur compounds, including S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC). In this review, we summarize the up-to-date mechanistic pathways associated with the anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and pro-apoptotic effects of SAMC in various cancer models. Based upon the proven safety and improved understanding on its anti-neoplastic properties, SAMC has gained recognition as a promising daily food supplement for cancer prevention or management.

The Effect of Garlic Derivatives (S-Allylmercaptocysteine, Diallyl Disulfide, and S-Allylcysteine) on Gentamicin Induced Ototoxicity: An Experimental Study

OBJECTIVES: Gentamicin is a potent aminoglycoside antibiotic. Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity are the main side effects which restrict the use of gentamicin. Garlic with its intrinsic antioxidant activity may prove beneficial in prevention from ototoxicity. S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), diallyl disulfide (DD), and S-allylcysteine (SAC) are three active compounds found in garlic. In this study, we investigated the effect of SAMC, DD, and SAC on the ototoxicity induced by gentamicin in rats, by using brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA). METHODS: Thirty male Wistar rats with intact Preyer’s reflex initially weighing 220–260 g were randomly assigned to either the gentamicin injection with SAMC treatment group (Genta-w SAMC), DD treatment group (Genta-w DD), SAC treatment group (Genta-w SAC), gentamicin injection without any active compounds (AC) treatment groups (Genta-w/o AC), or control group (n=6 rats each group). Gentamicin was given 120-mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally once daily for 25 days to subjects in all groups except the control group. SAMC 100-mg/kg, and DD 50-mg/kg body weight were given intragastrically, and SAC 250-mg/kg body weight was given intraperitoneally once daily to subjects in Genta-w SAMC, and Genta-w DD, and Genta-w SAC groups, respectively during the study. After 25 days hearing thresholds were evaluated by using BERA test. RESULTS: The mean amplitude of auditory thresholds (sensation level [SL]) measured by using BERA for the Genta-w SAMC, Genta-w DD, Genta-w SAC, Genta-w/o AC, and control groups were 22±8, 25±5, 30±9, 54±11, and 10±7 dB SL, respectively (mean±SD). The differences between every active compound group (Genta-w SAMC, Genta-w DD, and Genta-w SAC) and Genta-w/o AC were statistically significant (P<0.016). CONCLUSION: SAMC, DD, and SAC are derivative of garlic seems to attenuate aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss. The effect of SAMC and DD seems to be more prominent than that of SAC.