garlic
Garlic oil extract ameliorates the severity of copper deficiency.

Fields M, Lewis CG, Lure MD.

Division of Endocrinology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

This study was undertaken to determine whether a reduction in hepatic lipogenesis would be beneficial in the amelioration of copper (Cu) deficiency when fructose is fed. Garlic was chosen as the agent for reducing hepatic lipogenesis. Forty-eight weanling rats were fed Cu-deficient or adequate diets containing fructose or starch with or without garlic for 5 weeks. Garlic ameliorated the signs associated with Cu deficiency, although hepatic lipogenesis was not affected. Administration of garlic reduced the activity of the lipogenic enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase only in Cu-adequate rats. Consumption of garlic resulted in increased epididymal fat pad and pancrease sizes, and higher hematocrits, insulin and thyroxine concentrations. Mechanisms other than lipogenesis that could be responsible for this phenomenon are discussed.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1619186&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis in vitro by extracts and isolated compounds prepared from garlic and wild garlic.

Sendl A, Schliack M, Loser R, Stanislaus F, Wagner H.

Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Munich, FRG.

Using a modified liver homogenate model to assay for the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis, different garlic and wild garlic extracts as well as pure compounds isolated from them were investigated for their influence on cholesterol synthesis. Chloroform and acetone/chloroform extracts of garlic and wild garlic inhibited cholesterol synthesis 44-52% at a concentration of 166 micrograms/ml, while the 5 individual sulfur-containing compounds ajoene, methylajoene, allicin, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin and diallydisulfide inhibited cholesterol synthesis by 37-72% (10(-3) M corresponding to 234, 208, 162, 144, 146 micrograms/ml, respectively). Ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin and allicin show IC50 values of 6.4, 7.2 and 9.4 x 10(-4) M, respectively. The results demonstrate that garlic and wild garlic may reduce serum cholesterol levels primarily by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis if taken in sufficient amount and that this effect arises from a mixture of multiple compounds from the sulfur-containing class of thiosulfinates, ajoenes and dithiines. Wild garlic extracts showed nearly identical efficiency to garlic extracts.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1632861&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Consumption of a garlic clove a day could be beneficial in preventing thrombosis.

Ali M, Thomson M.

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait.

The effect of the consumption of a fresh clove of garlic on platelet thromboxane production was examined. A group of male volunteers in the age range 40-50 years participated in the study. Each volunteer consumed one clove (approximately 3 g) of fresh garlic daily for a period of 16 weeks. Each participant served as his own control. Thromboxane B2 (TXB2, a stable metabolite of thromboxane A2), cholesterol and glucose were determined in serum obtained after blood clotting. After 26 weeks of garlic consumption, there was an approximately 20% reduction of serum cholesterol and about 80% reduction in serum thromboxane. No change in the level of serum glucose was observed. Thus, it appears that small amounts of fresh garlic consumed over a long period of time may be beneficial in the prevention of thrombosis.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7480084&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Testing garlic for possible anti-ageing effects on long-term growth characteristics, morphology and macromolecular synthesis of human fibroblasts in culture.

Svendsen L, Rattan SI, Clark BF.

Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark.

The beneficial effects claimed for the use of garlic as a nutritional supplement include detoxification, antioxidation, antifungal activity, antibacterial activity, tumour suppression and, possibly, anti-ageing and rejuvenating effects. We have used the Hayflick system of cellular ageing in culture in order to test garlic for its anti-ageing effects on long-term growth characteristics, morphology and macromolecular synthesis of human skin fibroblasts. Our results show that an addition of garlic extract into the normal cell culture medium can support serial subculturing for over more than 55 population doublings in 475 days, and that this treatment has some youth-preserving, anti-ageing and beneficial effects on human fibroblasts in terms of maximum proliferative capacity and morphological characteristics. In comparison, similar or lesser doses of garlic extracts are growth inhibitory for cancerous cells that could not be grown over longer periods in the presence of garlic. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the effects of garlic on the long-term growth characteristics and macromolecular synthesis of normal human skin cells, the results of which have applications for both anti-ageing and anti-cancer research.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7526077&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Potent activation of nitric oxide synthase by garlic: a basis for its therapeutic applications.

Das I, Khan NS, Sooranna SR.

Academic Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London, England.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is thought to have a variety of therapeutic applications including inhibition of platelet aggregation. Many of the therapeutic actions of garlic parallel the physiological effects of nitric oxide and may be explained by its ability to increase nitric oxide synthase activity intracellularly. Our studies showed that both water and alcoholic extracts of garlic are very potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation induced by epinephrine and ADP. Similar dilutions of garlic extract also activated nitric oxide synthase activity in isolated platelets in vitro. The same extract was also very effective in activating nitric oxide synthase activity in placental villous tissue. The addition of garlic extracts increased nitric oxide synthase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Nitrite levels in the supernatants of incubated placental villous tissue were similarly increased. Activation of calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthase and the subsequent production of nitric oxide is probably the most novel mechanism yet claimed by which garlic can exert its therapeutic properties.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7555034&dopt=Abstract garlic