Glutathione garlic

SPARNINS V L, BARANY G, WATTENBERG Lw. (1988) Effects of organosulfur compounds from garlic and onions on benzo[a]pyrene-induced neoplasia and glutathione S-transferase activity in the mouse. Carcinogenesis. 9 131-4. 

Garlic s proven mechanisms of action include (a) inhibition of platelet function, (b) increased levels of two antioxidant enzymes, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and (c) inhibition of thiol enzymes such as coenzyme A and HMG coenzyme A reductase. Garlic s anti-hyperlipidemic effects are believed to be in part due to the HMG coenzyme A reductase inhibition since prescription medications for hyperlipidemia have that mechanism of action (statins). It is unknown whether garlic would have the same drug interactions, side effects, and need for precautions as the statins. 

A number of studies have focused on identifying the active antimicrobial principles in fresh garlic extract. Allicin has been identified as the active agent in garlic extracts. The antifungal activity of allicin has been shown to depend on the sulfhydryl moiety because activity is destroyed by thiols such as L-cysteine, glutathione, and mercaptoethanol. Ajoene, a compound found in oil-macerated garlic, has also been shown to have antimicrobial activity (Ali et al., 2000). 

Garlic has been shown to have significant effects on the cardiovascular system. Such areas include improvement in lipids, modest effects on blood pressure, platelet inhibition, antioxidant effects, and a decrease in fibrinolytic activity. In vitro studies have shown garlic possesses specific antiatherosclerotic effects such as reducing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression (10), inhibition of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and inhibition of oxidized LDL-induced depletion of glutathione (11). 

Hu, X. and Singh, S.V. (1997) Glutathione 5-transferases of female A/J mouse lung and their induction by anticarcinogenic organosulfides from garlic. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 340 279-286. 

Pinto, J.T., Qiao, C., Xing, J., Rivlin, R.S., Protomastro, M.L., Weissler, M.L., Tao, Y., Thaler, H. and Heston, W.D. (1997) Effects of garlic thioallyl derivatives on growth, glutathione concentration, and polyamine formation of human prostate carcinoma cells in culture. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 66 398-405. 

Takada N, Matsuda T, Otoshi T, et. al. Enhancement by organosulfur compounds from garlic and onions of diethylnitroasamine-induced glutathione S-transferase positive foci in the rat liver. Cancer Res 1994 54 2895-9. 

Munday R, Munday CM. Relative activities of organosulfur compounds derived from onions and garlic in increasing tissue activities of quinone reductase and glutathione transferase in rat tissues. Nutr Cancer 2001 40 205-210. 

Scharfenberg K, Ryll T, Wagner R, Wagner KG. Injuries to cultivated BJA-B cells by ajoene, a garlic-derived natural compound cell viability, glutathione metabolism, and pools of acidic amino acids. J Cell Physiol 1994 158 55-60. 

Arsine with its typical garlic odor is a strong hemolytic poison. Erythrocytes are the target. After inhalation a symptom-free interval follows in which the toxic active compound diarsine (H-As=As-H) is formed. ASH3 induces a decrease of the erythrocyte-reduced glutathione followed by decomposition of blood cells. Arsine is suggested to combine with hemoglobin [11,19]. 

For the biosynthesis of iS-methyl cysteine sulfoxide, methyl donor can be methionine because the radioactively labeled methionine could be incorporated into the S-methyl cysteine and iS-methyl cysteine sulfoxide (Sugii et al. 1963 Granroth 1970) (Figure 18.3). Regarding the S-methyl glutathione was detected in garlic (Lancaster and Shaw 1989 ... 

---