garlic
Multiple inhibitory effects of garlic extracts on cholesterol biosynthesis in hepatocytes.

Gebhardt R.

Physiologisch-Chemisches Institut, University of Tubingen, Germany.

Exposure of primary rat hepatocytes and human HepG2 cells to water-soluble garlic extracts resulted in the concentration-dependent inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis at several different enzymatic steps. At low concentrations, sterol biosynthesis from [14C]acetate was decreased in rat hepatocytes by 23% with an IC50 (half-maximal inhibition) value of 90 micrograms/mL and in HepG2 cells by 28% with an IC50 value of 35 micrograms/mL. This inhibition was exerted at the level of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) as indicated by direct enzymatic measurements and the absence of inhibition if [14C]mevalonate was used as a precursor. At high concentrations (above 0.5 mg/mL), inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis was not only seen at an early step where it increased considerably with dose, but also at later steps resulting in the accumulation of the precursors lanosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol. No desmosterol was formed which, however, was a major precursor accumulating in the presence of triparanol. Thus, the accumulation of sterol precursors seems to be of less therapeutic significance during consumption of garlic, because it requires concentrations one or two orders of magnitude above those affecting HMG-CoA reductase. Alliin, the main sulfur-containing compound of garlic, was without effect itself. If converted to allicin, it resulted in similar changes of the sterol pattern. This suggested that the latter compound might contribute to the inhibition at the late steps. In contrast, nicotinic acid and particularly adenosine caused moderate inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase activity and of cholesterol biosynthesis suggesting that these compounds participate, at least in part, in the early inhibition of sterol synthesis by garlic extracts.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8394977&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Comparison of C-S lyase in Lentinus edodes and Allium sativum.

Kumagai H, Kono H, Sakurai H, Tokimoto K.

Department of Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa-shi 252-8510, Japan. kumagai brs.nihon-u.ac.jp

The characteristics of C-S lyase in Lentinus edodes (shiitake) were compared with those in Allium sativum (garlic). C-S lyase mRNA from shiitake was hybridized with the garlic C-S lyase cDNA fragment, being almost the same length as that from garlic. The isoelectric point of the C-S lyase from shiitake was between pH 4 and 5, while that from garlic was over a wider range between pH 4 and 8. Different from the C-S lyase from garlic, that from shiitake was not a glycoprotein without being stained by PAS, and was not bound to the anti-garlic C-S lyase antibody. Similar to garlic C-S lyase, shiitake C-S lyase comprised a homodimer, and its molecular mass was 84 kDa. However, the N-terminal amino acid sequences of each subunit of shiitake C-S lyase were totally different from those of garlic C-S lyase.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12596848&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Cardioprotective actions of wild garlic (allium ursinum) in ischemia and reperfusion.

Rietz B, Isensee H, Strobach H, Makdessi S, Jacob R.

Physiologisches Institut II, Universitat Tubingen/FRG.

The susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias under the conditions of cardiac ischemia and reperfusion was investigated in the Langendorff heart preparation of rats fed for eight weeks a standard chow enriched with 2% of pulverized wild garlic leaves. The isolated hearts were perfused with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution. The incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) during 20 min occlusion of the descending branch of the left coronary artery (LAD) was significantly reduced in the wild garlic group as compared to untreated controls (20% vs 88%). The same holds for the size of the ischemic zone (33.6% vs 40.9% of heart weight). In the reperfusion experiments (5 min after 10 min ischemia), ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurred in 70% of the wild garlic group vs 100% in untreated controls and VF in 50% vs 90%. The time until occurrence of extrasystoles, VT or VR was prolonged. No significant alterations in cardiac fatty acid composition could be observed. Although the prostacyclin production was slightly increased in hearts of the wild garlic group, inhibition of cyclooxygenase by acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; aspirin) could not completely prevent the cardioprotective effects suggesting that the prostaglandin system does not play a decisive role in the cardioprotective action of wild garlic. Furthermore, a moderate angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting action of wild garlic was found in vitro as well as in vivo that could contribute to the cardioprotective and blood pressure lowering action of wild garlic. Whether a free radical scavenging activity of wild garlic is involved in its cardioprotective effects remains to be established.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8455576&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Cardioprotective actions of garlic (Allium sativum).

Isensee H, Rietz B, Jacob R.

Institute of Physiology II, University of Tubingen, Fed. Rep. of Germany.

The influence of an intake of garlic powder (1%--corresponding to Kwai/Sapec--added to a standard chow for a 10-week period) on the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias under ischemia and reperfusion was investigated in the isolated rat heart (Langendorff preparation) perfused with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution. The incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and fibrillation (VF) after ligation of the descending branch of the left coronary artery (LAD) (20 min) was significantly reduced in the garlic group as compared to untreated controls (VT: 0% vs. 35.5%; VF: 50% vs. 88%). The size of the ischemic zone was significantly smaller (31.7% vs. 40.9% of total heart tissue). The reperfusion experiments (5 min after 10 min ischemia) revealed similar results (VT: 50% vs. 100%; VF: 30% vs. 90%). The time until occurrence of extrasystoles and VT or VF was prolonged in most cases, and the duration of arrhythmias was abbreviated. No significant alterations in cardiac membrane fatty acid composition could be found. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase by acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) caused a moderate increase in arrhythmias and ischemic zone in the garlic group as well as in untreated controls under the conditions of the present experiments. Thus, it seems that the prostaglandin system does not play a predominant role in the cardioprotective action of garlic. The significance of free radical scavenging activity of garlic for its antiarrhythmic effects has to be established.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8457243&dopt=Abstract garlic



garlic
Modification of clastogenicity of three known clastogens by garlic extract in mice in vivo.

Das T, Roychoudhury A, Sharma A, Talukder G.

Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, India.

The anticlastogenic activity of crude extract of garlic (Allium sativum L.) was studied in bone marrow cells of mice. Male laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice were given one of three concentrations of the freshly prepared extract (100 mg, 50 mg, and 25 mg/kg body weight) as a dietary supplement by gavage for 6 consecutive days. On the seventh day the mice were administered a single acute dose of two known clastogens, mitomycin C(1.5 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (25 mg/kg) or sodium arsenite (2.5 mg/kg), simultaneously with garlic extract. After 24 hr, chromosome preparations were made from the bone marrow cells. The endpoint studied were chromosomal aberrations and damaged cells. Garlic extract alone induced a low level of chromosomal damage. The clastogenicity of all three mutagens were reduced significantly in the animals which had been given garlic extract as dietary supplement. The extent of reduction was different for the three clastogens and may be attributed to the interaction with the different components of the extract.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8491218&dopt=Abstract garlic