Review
English
Manoranjan Adak
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, 7th April University Zawia, Libya
JMJ 2009,Vol.9, No.3: 161-170
Abstract
Garlic is the most common edible bulb from a plant in the lily family and Allium genus which contains a lot of phytochemicals that are widely recognized as agents for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases. One of the most exciting aspects of the therapeutic value of garlic lies in its potential use as an anti-cancer agent. Current research has shown that allicin a compound of allyl sulfur, possesses antithrombotic, antioxidant and anticancer activities. Several animal and in vitro experiments have suggested that allyl sulfur an active ingredient of garlic can inhibit or even reverse the growth of certain tumors. This review has attempted to provide epidemiological evidence on garlic consumption and addresses cancers of the stomach, colon, head and neck, lung, breast and prostate and discusses the possible mechanisms of an anticarcinogenic effect of garlic.
Keywords: Garlic, Allicin, Cancer, Organosulfur.
Link/DOI: http://www.jmj.org.ly/PDF/autumn2009/161.pdf