Skip to content
2000
image of Allium sativum L.: A Potent Functional Food with Potential Anticancer Properties

Abstract

Background

Garlic ( L.) is a significant medicinal herb, well-known for its therapeutic properties as well as its role as a spice, flavoring agent, and enhancer of taste. Its majority of medicinal values are due to the presence of a number of S-containing compounds.

Objective

This short communication aimed to explore briefly the anticancer properties of garlic.

Methods

Based on the literature search, several recent research works were examined to assess and explore the potential of garlic as an anticancer agent.

Results

It was observed that garlic and its constituents have noteworthy potential in the possible treatment of different types of cancer like breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the digestive system, prostate cancer, .

Conclusion

This short communication explores the anticancer potential of garlic and advocates for the inclusion of garlic, or its various forms, as an essential part of daily diet.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/cnf/10.2174/0115734013386242250427163856
2025-05-06
2025-08-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Ahmed S. Fahim J. Abdelmohsen U. Chemical and biological studies on Allium sativum L. (1952-2020): A comprehensive review. J Adv Biomed Pharm Sci 2022 5 1 1 22 10.21608/jabps.2021.90667.1137
    [Google Scholar]
  2. El-Saadony M.T. Saad A.M. Korma S.A. Garlic bioactive substances and their therapeutic applications for improving human health: A comprehensive review. Front. Immunol. 2024 15 1277074 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1277074 38915405
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Moutia M. Habti N. Badou A. In vitro and in vivo immunomodulator activities of Allium sativum L. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2018 2018 4984659 10.1155/2018/4984659 30008785
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Melguizo-Rodríguez L. García-Recio E. Ruiz C. De Luna-Bertos E. Illescas-Montes R. Costela-Ruiz V.J. Biological properties and therapeutic applications of garlic and its components. Food Funct. 2022 13 5 2415 2426 10.1039/D1FO03180E 35174827
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Chaurasia P.K. Bharati S.L. Singh S. Garlic against heart-related ailments: Chemistry, pharmacology, and future perspective. Mini Rev. Med. Chem. 2024 24 5 521 530 10.2174/1389557523666230821102512 37605421
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Pandey P. Khan F. Alshammari N. Saeed A. Aqil F. Saeed M. Updates on the anticancer potential of garlic organosulfur compounds and their nanoformulations: Plant therapeutics in cancer management. Front. Pharmacol. 2023 14 1154034 10.3389/fphar.2023.1154034 37021043
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Sharma V. Sinha E. Singh J. Investigation of in-vitro anti-cancer and apoptotic potential of garlic-derived nanovesicles against prostate and cervical cancer cell lines. Asian Pac. J. Cancer Prev. 2024 25 2 575 585 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.2.575 38415544
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Yang Q. Li F. Jia G. Liu R. Aged black garlic extract inhibits the growth of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells by downregulating MCL-1 expression through the ROS-JNK pathway. PLoS One 2023 18 6 e0286454 10.1371/journal.pone.0286454 37352173
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Yifan M. Rui X. Yuan L. Feiyun J. Allicin inhibits the biological activities of cervical cancer cells by suppressing circEIF4G2. Food Sci. Nutr. 2024 12 4 2523 2536 10.1002/fsn3.3935 38628206
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Ravindra J. Ug Y. Pandyanda Nanjappa D. Allicin extracted from Allium sativum shows potent anti-cancer and antioxidant properties in zebrafish. Biomed. Pharmacother. 2023 169 115854 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115854 37951024
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Savitri A.D. Hidayati H.B. Veterini L. An in-silico study on allicin compound in garlic (Allium sativum) as a potential inhibitor of human epidermal growth factor receptor (Her)-2 positive breast cancer. Jordan J. Biol. Sci. 2023 16 1 7 12 10.54319/jjbs/160102
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Özkan İ. Koçak P. Yıldırım M. Garlic (Allium sativum)-derived SEVs inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce caspase mediated apoptosis. Sci. Rep. 2021 11 1 14773 10.1038/s41598‑021‑93876‑4 34285262
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Kanamori Y. Dalla Via L. Macone A. Aged garlic extract and its constituent, S allyl L cysteine, induce the apoptosis of neuroblastoma cancer cells due to mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Exp. Ther. Med. 2019 19 2 1511 1521 10.3892/etm.2019.8383 32010332
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Li Z. Le W. Cui Z. A novel therapeutic anticancer property of raw garlic extract via injection but not ingestion. Cell Death Discov. 2018 4 1 108 10.1038/s41420‑018‑0122‑x 30479841
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Speciani M.C. Gargari G. Penagini R. Garlic consumption in relation to colorectal cancer risk and to alterations of blood bacterial DNA. Eur. J. Nutr. 2023 62 5 2279 2292 10.1007/s00394‑023‑03110‑2 37093261
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Zhou X. Qian H. Zhang D. Zeng L. Garlic intake and the risk of colorectal cancer. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 99 1 e18575 10.1097/MD.0000000000018575 31895803
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Bat-Chen W. Golan T. Peri I. Ludmer Z. Schwartz B. Allicin purified from fresh garlic cloves induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells via Nrf2. Nutr. Cancer 2010 62 7 947 957 10.1080/01635581.2010.509837 20924970
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Schwarz Y. Kindil L. Bar-Shai A. Rabinkov A. Star A. The active compound of garlic to treat non-small cell lung cancer: In vitro studies. Eur. Respir. J. 2013 42 Suppl. 57 3111
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Chu Y.L. Ho C.T. Chung J.G. Raghu R. Lo Y.C. Sheen L.Y. Allicin induces anti-human liver cancer cells through the p53 gene modulating apoptosis and autophagy. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013 61 41 9839 9848 10.1021/jf403241s 24059278
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Gao X. Santhanam R.K. Huang Z. Allicin-mediated cell cycle regulation reverses taxol resistance in NSCLC: Molecular insights and therapeutic potentia. J. Food Biochem. 2023 ••• 9910431 10.1155/2023/9910431
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Ishikawa H. Saeki T. Otani T. Aged garlic extract prevents a decline of NK cell number and activity in patients with advanced cancer. J. Nutr. 2006 136 3 816S 820S 10.1093/jn/136.3.816S 16484572
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Petrovic V. Nepal A. Olaisen C. Anti-cancer potential of homemade fresh garlic extract is related to increased endoplasmic reticulum stress. Nutrients 2018 10 4 450 10.3390/nu10040450 29621132
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Brugnoli F. Dell’Aira M. Tedeschi P. Effects of garlic on breast tumor cells with a triple negative phenotype: Peculiar subtype-dependent down-modulation of Akt Signaling. Cells 2024 13 10 822 10.3390/cells13100822 38786044
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Mondal A. Banerjee S. Bose S. Garlic constituents for cancer prevention and therapy: From phytochemistry to novel formulations. Pharmacol. Res. 2022 175 105837 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105837 34450316
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Stępień A.E. Trojniak J. Tabarkiewicz J. Anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties of black garlic. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024 25 3 1801 10.3390/ijms25031801 38339077
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Talib W.H. Baban M.M. Azzam A.O. Allicin and cancer hallmarks. Molecules 2024 29 6 1320 10.3390/molecules29061320 38542956
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Ünsal N. Koçak Deni̇zci̇ P. Yilmaz H. Şahi̇n F. Yildirim Canpolat M. The apoptotic effect of garlic (Allium sativum) derived SEVs on different types of cancer cell lines in vitro. Turk. J. Biol. 2024 48 3 182 191 10.55730/1300‑0152.2694 39050709
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/cnf/10.2174/0115734013386242250427163856
Loading
/content/journals/cnf/10.2174/0115734013386242250427163856
Loading

Data & Media loading...


  • Article Type:
    Rapid Communication
Keywords: allicin ; garlic extract ; Allium sativum ; Garlic ; anticancer ; bio-agents
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test