Anticancer Property of Allyl Sulfides Derived from Garlic (Allium sativum L.)

Several lines of evidences imply that garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the potent vegetable for the cancer prevention. Fresh garlic extract, garlic powder, garlic oil, and organosulfur compounds derived from garlic have been reported to exhibit the anticancer effect through their anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, and antitumor properties. Evidences from experimental studies, those which have been performed primarily at molecular basis with garlic are introduced in this review. Especially, we focused on allyl sulfides as promising compounds derived from garlic for cancer prevention, and discussed the anticancer properties of allyl sulfides in terms of anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic and antigenotoxic activity, induction of detoxification enzymes, cell cycle inhibition as well as induction of apoptosis.