Active Ingredients in Onion and Garlic

When garlic is cut and the parenchyma is destroyed, alliin is the major cysteine sulfoxide liberated. Alliin is acted upon by the enzyme allinase (alliin lyase) to produce allicin. Allicin [S-(2- 

Garlic also contains S-propylcysteine-sulfoxide (PCSO) and S-methylcysteine-sulfoxide (MCSO). PCSO can generate over 50 compounds depending on temperature and water content. The action of allinase on the mixture of alliin, PCSO, and MCSO can produce many other molecules, including allyl methane thiosulfinate, methyl methanethiosulfinate, and other mixed or symmetrical thiosulfinates (R-S-S-R ), where R and R are methyl, propyl, and allyl groups. 

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