Anti-cancer activities of S-allylmercaptocysteine from aged garlic

Publication date: January 2019Source: Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines, Volume 17, Issue 1Author(s): Yi LV, Kwok-Fai SO, Nai-Kei WONG, Jia XIAOAbstractWhile most types of malignancies remain recalcitrant to treatment, application of natural products or their analogs in daily life has offered some hopes as an effective prophylaxis against cancer onset and progression in the past decades. Emerging evidence supports a link between garlic consumption and decreased cancer incidence. Notably, aged garlic extract (AGE) exhibits stronger anti-cancer activities than that of fresh garlic, by virtue of enrichment of several AGE-specific organosulfur compounds, including S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC). In this review, we summarize the up-to-date mechanistic pathways associated with the anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and pro-apoptotic effects of SAMC in various cancer models. Based upon the proven safety and improved understanding on its anti-neoplastic properties, SAMC has gained recognition as a promising daily food supplement for cancer prevention or management.
Source: Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research