Chemical and biological studies on Allium sativum L. (1952-2020): A comprehensive review

Abstract

Medicinal plants provide a variety of secondary metabolites with varied chemical structures and biological activities. Among them, Allium sativum L. (garlic) is one of the most common edible and traditional plant that is used for the prevention and treatment of several diseases. A. sativum belongs to the family Liliaceae and it demonstrated diverse groups of natural compounds (184 compounds), such as organosulfur compounds, amino acids, selenium derivatives, saponins, phenyl propanoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, fatty acids, sterols and others. Therefore, this review focuses on the different classes of secondary metabolites that have been isolated from A. sativum, along with their valued pharmacological and therapeutic effects, e.g., anti-infective (antiprotozoal, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities), antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, heart protective, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anticancer, antiobesity, wound and scar healing, antianxiety, antidepressant, immunostimulant and memory enhancing properties. The potential of garlic in the treatment of many diseases such as gastrointestinal disorders, nephropathic encephalopathy and osteoarthritis has been also reported.

Garlic bioactive substances and their therapeutic applications for improving human health: a comprehensive review

“…Approximately 184 diverse types of active secondary metabolites are found in garlic ( 38 ). Almost 90% of these metabolites are characterized as the following: 70 organosulfur, 29 saponins, 16 flavonoids, 12 amino acids, and phenyl prostanoids 10 for each of phenyl prostanoids, 7 alkaloids, in addition to 3 compounds of fatty acids, and selenium derivatives ( 38 ). In leaves, the active secondary metabolites represent nine compounds, while in roots and husk wastes, there are 6 and 3 compounds, respectively.…”

Anti-HCV potential of the medicinal roots of khella and celery plants

“…In this respect, a vast range of plant secondary metabolites, such as silymarin, epigallocatechin gallate, and naringenin that belong to the flavonoid family, have been reported to possess outstanding antiviral activities, namely against HCV infections [7]. Allicin and ajoene; two organosulfur compounds isolated from garlic (Allium sativum L., Family Amaryllidaceae) bulbs have been also found to exhibit wide-ranging antiviral activities [8], while the ethanolic extract of garlic bulbs is known to possess beneficial hepatoprotective effects [9,10]. Likewise, the seedsꞌ extract of celery (Apium graveolens L., Family Apiaceae) was described as a potent liver-protecting agent [11,12], whereas the natural flavonoidal molecule, apigenin, isolated from celery leaves has been shown to inhibit HCV replication by decreasing mature microRNA122 levels [13,14].…”