Mechanisms of action by sulphur compounds in Allium sativum. A review

Background: Allium sativum, the bulbous perennial plant of the Alliaceae family has been utilized as a very valuable remedy in the management of numerous diseases even from time immemorial. The plant exhibits antimicrobial activities over a wide range of microorganisms like parasites, fungi, virus and other pathogens. This broad- spectrum of antimicrobial activity coupled with the low toxicity of Allium sativum are an attraction to scientists and thus it has been vastly employed as a therapeutic cure in contemporary society. The therapeutic properties of Allium sativum (antibacterial, antiviral, fungicidal, anti-cardiovascular disease, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-blood pressure, antiatherosclerosis, antirheumatic, hyperlipidemia) are linked to the sulphur compounds it contains (diallyl disulfide, allicin, diallyl trisulfide, ajoene's, vinyl-dithiin, micronutrient selenium and S-allylcystein. Objectives: This review considers some sulphur compounds contained in Allium sativum and the mechanisms by which they elicit their biological actions. Method: The journals for this review paper were retrieved from prominent database sources like Academia.edu (https://www.academia.edu), PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and Web of science (https://access.clarivate.com). Both medical headings and free text keywords were employed in the search “biological activities of allicin”, “biosynthesis of sulphur compounds in garlic”, “sulphur compounds in garlic”, “mechanism of action of antibacterial action of ajoene”, “S-allylcystein in garlic”, “mechanism of neuroprotection by vinvyl-dithiin”, “anticancer actions of dially disulfide”, mechanism of anti-quorum sensing actions of ajoene, antihyperlipidemic activity of allicin, mechanism of anti-platelet actions of ajoene and other related information from related journals. Results: Allium sativum has many therapeutic properties; antibacterial, neuroprotection, antiviral, fungicidal, lipid metabolism, anti-cardiovascular disease, glucose metabolism, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-blood pressure, antiatherosclerosis, antirheumatic, hyperlipidemia), these properties result from some sulphur compounds (diallyl disulfide, allicin, diallyl trisulfide, ajoene's, vinyl-dithiin, micronutrient selenium and S-allylcystein) which the plant contains. Conclusion: Within this paper, some sulphur containing phytonutrients in Allium sativum namely; allicin, ajoene, S-allylcystein, vinvyl-dithiin, dially disulfide, dially trisulfide and the mechanisms by which they carry out these actions are considered. The pharmaceutical and food industries have harnessed these phytochemicals in manufacturing both wellness and therapeutic products. Should more research be carried out on Allium sativum, safe and effective doses can be authenticated so that it can be safely included in the management of pathologies.