Antitumor mechanisms of S-allyl mercaptocysteine for breast cancer therapy

Design, Synthesis and Preliminary Bioactivity Evaluation of N-Acetylcysteine Derivatives as Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Agents

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a commonly used mucolytic agent and antidote for acetaminophen overdose. For pulmonary diseases, NAC exhibits antioxidative properties, regulates cytokine production, reduces apoptosis of lung epithelial cells, and facilitates the resolution of inflammation. However, the efficacy of NAC in clinical trials targeting different pathological conditions is constrained by its short half-life and low bioavailability. In the present study, a series of NAC derivatives were designed and synthesized to further enhance its pharmacological activity. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies were conducted to optimize the activating groups. In vitro evaluations revealed that compounds 4 r, 4 t, 4 w, and 4 x exhibited superior antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities compared to the positive controls of NAC and fudosteine. The ADME prediction analysis indicated that these compounds exhibited a favorable pharmacological profile. In-vivo experiments with compound 4 r demonstrated that the high-dose group (80 mg/kg) exhibited improved therapeutic effects in reversing the HPY level in mice with pulmonary fibrosis compared to the NAC group (500 mg/kg), further proving its superior oral bioavailability and therapeutic effect compared to NAC.

S-Allyl-L-Cysteine Affects Cell Proliferation and Expression of H2S-Synthetizing Enzymes in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines

S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) is a sulfur compound present in fresh garlic. The reference literature describes its anticancer, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Breast cancer is infamously known as one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies among women worldwide. Its morbidity and mortality make it reasonable to complete and expand knowledge on this cancer's characteristics. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and its naturally occurring donors are well-known investigation subjects for diverse therapeutic purposes. This study was conducted to investigate the SAC antiproliferative potential and effect on three enzymes involved in H2S metabolism: 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST), cystathionine γ-lyase (CTH), and cystathionine β-synthase (CBS). We chose the in vitro cellular model of human breast adenocarcinomas: MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The expression of enzymes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h incubation with 2.24 mM, 3.37 mM, and 4.50 mM SAC concentrations was examined. The number of living cells was determined by the MTS assay. Changes in cellular plasma membrane integrity were measured by the LDH test. Expression changes at the protein level were analyzed using Western blot. A significant decrease in viable cells was registered for MCF-7 cells after all incubation times upon 4.50 mM SAC exposure, and after 6 and 24 h only in MDA-MB-231 upon 4.50 mM SAC. In both cell lines, the MPST gene expression significantly increased after the 24 h incubation with 4.50 mM SAC. S-allyl-L-cysteine had opposite effects on changes in CTH and CBS expression in both cell lines. In our research model, we confirmed the antiproliferative potential of SAC and concluded that our studies provided current information about the increase in MPST gene expression mediated by S-allyl-L-cysteine in the adenocarcinoma in vitro cellular model for the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Further investigation of this in vitro model can bring useful information regarding sulfur enzyme metabolism of breast adenocarcinoma and regulating its activity and expression (gene silencing) in anticancer therapy.

Updates on the anticancer potential of garlic organosulfur compounds and their nanoformulations: Plant therapeutics in cancer management

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) possesses numerous pharmacological potential, including antibacterial, antiarthritic, antithrombotic, anticancer, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects. The anti-cancer action of garlic is likely the best researched of the many advantageous pharmacological effects, and its use offers significant protection against the risk of developing cancer. A few active metabolites of garlic have been reported to be essential in the destruction of malignant cells due to their multi-targeted activities and lack of significant toxicity. The bioactive compounds in garlic having anticancer properties include diallyl trisulfide, allicin, allyl mercaptan diallyl disulfide, and diallyl sulphide. Different garlic-derived constituents and their nanoformulations have been tested for their effects against various cancers including skin, ovarian, prostate, gastric, breast, and lung, colorectal, liver, oral, and pancreatic cancer. The objective of this review is to summarize the antitumor activity and associated mechanisms of the organosulfur compounds of garlic in breast carcinoma. Breast cancer continues to have a significant impact on the total number of cancer deaths worldwide. Global measures are required to reduce its growing burden, particularly in developing nations where incidence is increasing quickly and fatality rates are still high. It has been demonstrated that garlic extract, its bioactive compounds, and their use in nanoformulations can prevent breast cancer in all of its stages, including initiation, promotion, and progression. Additionally, these bioactive compounds affect cell signaling for cell cycle arrest and survival along with lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide synthase activity, epidermal growth factor receptor, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and protein kinase C in breast carcinoma. Hence, this review deciphers the anticancer potential of garlic components and its nanoformulations against several breast cancer thereby projecting it as a potent drug candidate for efficient breast cancer management.

Garlic constituents for cancer prevention and therapy: From phytochemistry to novel formulations

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the oldest plants cultivated for its dietary and medicinal values. This incredible plant is endowed with various pharmacological attributes, such as antimicrobial, antiarthritic, antithrombotic, antitumor, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities. Among the various beneficial pharmacological effects of garlic, the anticancer activity is presumably the most studied. The consumption of garlic provides strong protection against cancer risk. Taking into account the multi-targeted actions and absence of considerable toxicity, a few active metabolites of garlic are probably to play crucial roles in the killing of cancerous cells. Garlic contains several bioactive molecules with anticancer actions and these include diallyl trisulfide, allicin, diallyl disulfide, diallyl sulfide, and allyl mercaptan. The effects of various garlic-derived products, their phytoconstituents and nanoformulations have been evaluated against skin, prostate, ovarian, breast, gastric, colorectal, oral, liver, and pancreatic cancers. Garlic extract, its phytocompounds and their nanoformulations have been shown to inhibit the different stages of cancer, including initiation, promotion, and progression. Besides, these bioactive metabolites alter the peroxidation of lipid, activity of nitric oxide synthetase, nuclear factor-κB, epidermal growth factor receptor, and protein kinase C, cell cycle, and survival signaling. The current comprehensive review portrays the functions of garlic, its bioactive constituents and nanoformulations against several types of cancers and explores the possibility of developing these agents as anticancer pharmaceuticals.

Extraction of chlorophyll and carotenoids loaded into chitosan as potential targeted therapy and bio imaging agents for breast carcinoma

In the current study, the treatment efficacy of ECHCAH was evaluated in vitro studies using cell viability and flow cytometry in human TNBCs. The results here showed significant gradual reduction in growth of TNBCs (MDA-231cell lines) after their exposure to serial concentrations for hydrogel assembly (5 μg/mL to 25 μg/mL) for 24 and 48 h, representing (86 ± 1% to 45 ± 1.5% p < 0.001) and (79 ± 1.5% to 35 ± 2.5% p < 0.001) respectively. The flow cytometry showed significant increase in the present of late apoptotic and necrotic cells (64% ± 1.2 and 27% ± 0.3 p < 0.001) after 48 h incubation compared to untreated cells (1.13% ± 0.3 and 4% ± 0.2 p < 0.001) respectively. It can be summarized that ECHCA inside targeted hydrogel assemblies can inhibit proliferation of cancer cells.

In silico predictions on the possible mechanism of action of selected bioactive compounds against breast cancer

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women. We employed in silico model to predict the mechanism of actions of selected novel compounds reported against breast cancer using ADMET profiling, drug likeness and molecular docking analyses. The selected compounds were andrographolide (AGP), dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid (DPA), 3-(4-Bromo phenylazo)-2,4-pentanedione (BPP), atorvastatin (ATS), benzylserine (BZS) and 3β,7β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al (TCD). These compounds largely conform to ADMETlab and Lipinki's rule of drug likeness criteria in addition to their lesser hepatotoxic and mutagenic effects. Docking studies revealed a strong affinity of AGP versus NF-kB (- 6.8 kcal/mol), DPA versus Cutlike-homeobox (- 5.1 kcal/mol), BPP versus Hypoxia inducing factor 1 (- 7.7 kcal/mol), ATS versus Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 (- 7.2 kcal/mol), BZS versus Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (- 4.4 kcal/mol) and TCD versus Ying Yang 1 (- 9.4 kcal/mol). Likewise, interaction between the said compounds and respective gene products were evidently observed with strong affinities; AGP versus COX-2 (- 9.6 kcal/mol), DPA versus Fibroblast growth factor receptor (- 5.9 kcal/mol), BPP versus Vascular endothelial growth factor (- 5.8 kcal/mol), ATS versus HMG-COA reductase (- 9.1 kcal/mol), BZS versus L-type amino acid transporter 1 (- 5.3 kcal/mol) and TCD versus Histone deacytylase (- 7.7 kcal/mol), respectively. The compounds might potentially target transcription through inhibition of promoter-transcription factor binding and/or inactivation of final gene product. Thus, findings from this study provide a possible mechanism of action of these xenobiotics to guide in vitro and in vivo studies in breast cancer.

GRAPHIC ABSTRACT

Natural Products Impacting DNA Methyltransferases and Histone Deacetylases

Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression and chromatin structure without change in a DNA sequence. Several epigenetic modifications and respective regulators have been reported. These include DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone post-translational modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Emerging evidence has revealed that epigenetic dysregulations are involved in a wide range of diseases including cancers. Therefore, the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications concerning activation or inhibition of enzymes involved could be promising targets and useful tools for the elucidation of cellular and biological phenomena. In this review, emphasis is laid on natural products that inhibit DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) making them promising candidates for the development of lead structures for anticancer-drugs targeting epigenetic modifications. However, most of the natural products targeting HDAC and/or DNMT lack isoform selectivity, which is important for determining their potential use as therapeutic agents. Nevertheless, the structures presented in this review offer the well-founded basis that screening and chemical modifications of natural products will in future provide not only leads to the identification of more specific inhibitors with fewer side effects, but also important features for the elucidation of HDAC and DNMT function with respect to cancer treatment.

Aged garlic extract and its constituent, S-allyl-L-cysteine, induce the apoptosis of neuroblastoma cancer cells due to mitochondrial membrane depolarization

Aged garlic extract (AGE) has been demonstrated to have therapeutic properties in tumors; however its mechanisms of action have not yet been fully elucidated. A previous study revealed that AGE exerts an anti-proliferative effect on a panel of both sensitive [wild-type (WT)] and multidrug-resistant (MDR) human cancer cells. Following treatment of the cells with AGE, cytofluorimetric analysis revealed the occurrence of dose-dependent mitochondrial membrane depolarization (MMD). In this study, in order to further clarify the mechanisms of action of AGE, the effects of AGE on mitochondria isolated from rat liver mitochondria (RLM) were also examined. AGE induced an effect on the components of the electrochemical gradient (Δµ_H⁺), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ_m) and mitochondrial electrochemical gradient (ΔpH_m). The mitochondrial membrane dysfunctions of RLM induced by AGE, namely the decrease in both membrane potential and chemical gradient were associated with a higher oxidation of both the endogenous glutathione and pyridine nucleotide content. To confirm the anti-proliferative effects of AGE, experiments were performed on the human neuroblastoma (NB) cancer cells, SJ-N-KP and the MYCN-amplified IMR5 cells, using its derivative S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC), with the aim of providing evidence of the anticancer activity of this compound and its possible molecular mechanism as regards the induction of cytotoxicity. Following treatment of the cells with SAC at 20 mM, cell viability was determined by MTT assay and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, using Annexin V-FITC labeling. The percentages of cells undergoing apoptosis was found to be 48.0% in the SJ-N-KP and 50.1% in the IMR5 cells. By cytofluorimetric analysis, it was suggested that the target of SAC are the mitochondria. Mitochondrial activity was examined by labeling the cells with the probe, 5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethylimidacarbocyanine iodide (JC-1). Following treatment with SAC at 50 mM, both NB cell lines exhibited a marked increase in MMD. On the whole, the findings of this study indicate that both natural products, AGE and SAC, cause cytotoxicity to tumor cells via the induction of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT).

S-Allylcysteine as an Inhibitor of Benzo(a)pyrene-Induced Precancerous Carcinogenesis in Human Lung Cells via Inhibiting Activation of Nuclear Factor-Kappa B

Oil-soluble organosulfur compounds in garlic are known for the anticancer effect. However, there are limited experimental studies to describe the effect of S-allylcysteine (SAC), a main water-soluble derivative of garlic, in carcinogenesis. This study investigates the prevention function of SAC on carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P)-induced precancerous activity in human lung cells (A549). A549 cells were either pretreated (PreTM) or concurrently treated (CoTM) with 1 μM B(a)P and either 10 or 50 μM SAC. The 50 μM CoTM group inhibited B(a)P-induced cell proliferation by approximately 100%. The 50 μM SAC CoTM and PreTM inhibited the B(a)P-induced G2/M phase shift by 119% and 100%, respectively. Furthermore, the SAC PreTM exhibited the potential to reduce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells relative to the B(a)P group by approximately 100%. The CoTM and PreTM elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) by at least 70% compared with B(a)P group. In this study, we demonstrated that the mechanisms involved in the inhibitory role of SAC in B(a)P-induced carcinogenesis, including suppression of cell proliferation and DNA damage, cell cycle regulation, attenuation of ROS formation, increase of SOD activity, and inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity, which indicated that SAC is potentially a novel therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of B(a)P-induced human lung cancer.

Anti-cancer activities of S-allylmercaptocysteine from aged garlic

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.

A novel therapeutic anticancer property of raw garlic extract via injection but not ingestion

Prior studies suggest a possibility that the anticancer property of garlic is more effective only when exposed directly to cancer cells than absorbed first by the normal epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract wall. We tested this possibility in two mouse models of highly aggressive malignancies that cannot yet be cured by conventional therapies: sarcoma 180- and EL4-induced lethal ascites. Daily oral gavages of raw garlic extract (RGE; equivalent to 100 mg wet weight) for 21 days failed to offer any meaningful effect in the mice with malignancies. However, the daily injection of the same amounts of the same materials for 21 days completely cured all the mice of cancer. This novel anticancer activity of RGE was present entirely in the size fraction of the molecules smaller than 3000 Dalton rather than the larger molecules and was completely partitioned into the organic phase rather than into the aqueous phase. One half of the anticancer activity was inactivated by heating at 100 °C for 10 min, suggesting that multiple components were concertedly involved. In a direct comparison, the RGE was significantly more effective in killing the cultured cancer cells in vitro than the extracts from other 21 raw vegetables and fruits. In cell culture, RGE killed a wide variety of different cancer cells regardless of species of origin and cell types. Cancer cells generally are well known to be defective in many common metabolic pathways present in their normal cell counterpart for processing normal nutrients. The metabolism of these otherwise normal nutrients could be stalled in the cancer cells and become cytotoxic. The most-effective way of treating cancer by RGE may be the direct injection instead of eating the cooked garlic.

Garlic-derived compound S-allylmercaptocysteine inhibits hepatocarcinogenesis through targeting LRP6/Wnt pathway

Whether and how garlic-derived S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is largely unknown. In the current study, the role of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-related protein 6 (LRP6) in HCC progression and the anti-HCC mechanism of SAMC was examined in clinical sample, cell model and xenograft/orthotopic mouse models. We demonstrated that SAMC inhibited cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, while induced apoptosis of human HCC cells without influencing normal hepatocytes. SAMC directly interacted with Wnt-pathway co-receptor LRP6 on the cell membrane. LRP6 was frequently over-expressed in the tumor tissue of human HCC patients (66.7% of 48 patients) and its over-expression only correlated with the over-expression of β-catenin, but not with age, gender, tumor size, stage and metastasis. Deficiency or over-expression of LRP6 in hepatoma cells could partly mimic or counteract the anti-tumor properties of SAMC, respectively. In vivo administration of SAMC significantly suppressed the growth of Huh-7 xenograft/orthotopic HCC tumor without causing undesirable side effects. In addition, stable down-regulation of LRP6 in Huh-7 facilitated the anti-HCC effects of SAMC. In conclusion, LRP6 can be a potential therapeutic target of HCC. SAMC is a promising specific anti-tumor agent for treating HCC subtypes with Wnt activation at the hepatoma cell surface.

The antioxidant, aged garlic extract, exerts cytotoxic effects on wild-type and multidrug-resistant human cancer cells by altering mitochondrial permeability

Aged garlic extract (AGE) has been shown to possess therapeutic properties in cancer; however its mechanisms of action are unclear. In this study, we demonstrate by MTT assay that AGE exerts an anti-proliferative effect on a panel of both sensitive and multidrug-resistant (MDR) human cancer cell lines and enhances the effects of hyperthermia (42˚C) on M14 melanoma cells. The evaluation of the mitochondrial activity in whole cancer cells treated with AGE, performed by cytofluorimetric analysis in the presence of the lipophilic cationic fluorochrome JC-1, revealed the occurrence of dose-dependent mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Membrane potential was measured by the TPP+ selective electrode. In order to shed light on its mechanisms of action, the effects of AGE on isolated rat liver mitochondria were also examined. In this regard, AGE induced a mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization of approximately 15 mV through a mechanism that was similar to that observed with the ionophores, nigericin or salinomycin, by activating an exchange between endogenous K+ with exogenous H+. The prolonged incubation of the mitochondria with AGE induced depolarization and matrix swelling, indicative of mitochondrial permeability transition induction that, however, occurs through a different mechanism from the well-known one. In particular, the transition pore opening induced by AGE was due to the rearrangement of the mitochondrial membranes following the increased activity of the K+/H+ exchanger. On the whole, the findings of this study indicate that AGE exerts cytotoxic effects on cancer cells by altering mitochondrial permeability. In particular, AGE in the mitochondria activates K+/H+ exchanger, causes oxidative stress and induces mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT).

Dietary Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females worldwide. Several epidemiological studies suggested the inverse correlation between the intake of vegetables and fruits and the incidence of breast cancer. Substantial experimental studies indicated that many dietary natural products could affect the development and progression of breast cancer, such as soy, pomegranate, mangosteen, citrus fruits, apple, grape, mango, cruciferous vegetables, ginger, garlic, black cumin, edible macro-fungi, and cereals. Their anti-breast cancer effects involve various mechanisms of action, such as downregulating ER-α expression and activity, inhibiting proliferation, migration, metastasis and angiogenesis of breast tumor cells, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and sensitizing breast tumor cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This review summarizes the potential role of dietary natural products and their major bioactive components in prevention and treatment of breast cancer, and special attention was paid to the mechanisms of action.

Anticancer effects of an extract from the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis on MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells

Patinopecten yessoensis, is a species of scallop and a marine bivalve mollusk. In traditional East Asian medicine, scallop meat is used as a drug for the treatment of diabetes, pollakisuria, and indigestion. The present study was conducted in order to examine the potential anticancer effects of scallop flesh extract (SE) on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. An MTT assay was used to evaluate cell viability and flow cytometry was used for the assessment of cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The alteration in protein expression level was determined by western blot analysis, and the amounts of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in the SE were measured by gas chromatography. SE inhibited the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner by inducing G0/G1 phase arrest. The cell cycle arrest was associated with the upregulation of p53 and p21, and downregulation of G1 phase-associated cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 4 and cyclin E1/Cdk 2. In addition, SE-mediated cell cycle arrest was associated with the promotion of apoptosis, as indicated by the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins and changes in nuclear morphology. SE appeared to induce the mitochondrial apoptotic cascade, as indicated by a decreased expression of Bcl-2, activation of Bcl-2 associated X protein, release of cytochrome c, decrease in procaspase-3, and an increase in cleaved-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Furthermore, the expression levels of Fas-associated via death domain and cleaved caspase-8 were increased in a SE dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis are associated with the anticancer effects of SE on MCF-7 cells. Thus, SE may be a suitable candidate for the treatment and prevention of human breast cancer.

S-allylmercaptocysteine suppresses the growth of human gastric cancer xenografts through induction of apoptosis and regulation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

Gastric cancer remains as a common lethal malignancy worldwide. Developing novel anti-gastric cancer drugs with minimal side effects is necessary to address this public health issue. S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), one of the water-soluble organosulfur garlic derivatives, has been demonstrated as a suppressive agent against tumors. In this study, we examined the effect of SAMC on human gastric carcinoma growth in vivo and explored the underlying mechanism. Human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells were inoculated subcutaneously in BALB/c nude mice. When xenograft tumors reached about 100 mm³, mice were treated with SAMC for 30 days. We observed that SAMC administration in mice effectively delayed the growth of SGC-7901 xenografts without signs of toxicity. TUNEL staining confirmed that the tumors from SAMC-treated mice exhibited a markedly higher apoptotic index. Mechanistic studies suggested that this activity may arise from its effects on the caspase activation and modulation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Taken together, these data support development of SAMC as a potential agent for gastric cancer therapy.

EGFR gene regulation in colorectal cancer cells by garlic phytocompounds with special emphasis on S-Allyl-L-Cysteine Sulfoxide

Colorectal cancer is one among the most common cancers in the world and a major cause of cancer related deaths. Similar to other cancers, colorectal carcinogenesis is often associated with over expression of genes related to cell growth and proliferation, especially Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). There is an increasing attention towards the plant derived compounds in prevention of colorectal carcinogenesis by downregulating EGFR. Among plants, garlic (Allium sativum L.) is emerging with anticancer properties by virtue of its organosulfur compounds. The present study was aimed to analyze the interaction ability of garlic compounds in the active region of EGFR gene by in silico molecular docking studies and in vitro validation. This was conducted using the Discovery studio software version 4.0. Among the tested compounds, s-allyl-l-cysteine-sulfoxide (SACS)/alliin showed higher affinity towards EGFR. Furthermore, wet lab analysis using cell viability test and EGFR expression analysis in colorectal cancer cells confirmed its efficacy as a potent anticancer agent.

Therapeutic Role of Functional Components in Alliums for Preventive Chronic Disease in Human Being

Objectives. Functional components in alliums have long been maintained to play a key role in modifying the major risk factors for chronic disease. To obtain a better understanding of alliums for chronic disease prevention, we conducted a systematic review for risk factors and prevention strategies for chronic disease of functional components in alliums, based on a comprehensive English literature search that was conducted using various electronic search databases, especially the PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and CNKI for the period 2007-2016. Allium genus especially garlic, onion, and Chinese chive is rich in organosulfur compounds, quercetin, flavonoids, saponins, and others, which have anticancer, preventive cardiovascular and heart diseases, anti-inflammation, antiobesity, antidiabetes, antioxidants, antimicrobial activity, neuroprotective and immunological effects, and so on. These results support Allium genus; garlic and onion especially may be the promising dietotherapeutic vegetables and organopolysulfides as well as quercetin mechanism in the treatment of chronic diseases. This review may be used as scientific basis for the development of functional food, nutraceuticals, and alternative drugs to improve the chronic diseases.

Spices for Prevention and Treatment of Cancers

Spices have been widely used as food flavorings and folk medicines for thousands of years. Numerous studies have documented the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of spices, which might be related to prevention and treatment of several cancers, including lung, liver, breast, stomach, colorectum, cervix, and prostate cancers. Several spices are potential sources for prevention and treatment of cancers, such as Curcuma longa (tumeric), Nigella sativa (black cumin), Zingiber officinale (ginger), Allium sativum (garlic), Crocus sativus (saffron), Piper nigrum (black pepper) and Capsicum annum (chili pepper), which contained several important bioactive compounds, such as curcumin, thymoquinone, piperine and capsaicin. The main mechanisms of action include inducing apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation, migration and invasion of tumors, and sensitizing tumors to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This review summarized recent studies on some spices for prevention and treatment of cancers, and special attention was paid to bioactive components and mechanisms of action.