Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases by Garlic-Derived Sulfur Compounds

Abstract

Lifestyle-Related Diseases and Food FunctionsThe lifestyle-related diseases have a complex pathogenesis, which consists of several different steps. A basic cause of the diseases is attributed to unhealthy lifestyles in dietary habits, physical activity and control of stress. Such unhealthy lifestyles induce risk factors including hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hyperglycemia. These risk factors promote arteriosclerosis leading to serious vascular complications (i.e., thrombotic diseases), myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. The total number of deaths from these thrombotic diseases is almost the same number as that of cancer deaths in our country (1).Food has three different functions (2). The primary function of food is to provide enough nutrients to meet metabolic requirements. The secondary function is the one relating to food preference. The color, flavor and texture (or mouthfeel) of the food interact with our sensory system including brain function, and control good-tasting. The third function of the food is to control our body functions, and promote our health with reduction of the risk of diseases. Some of the compounds derived from food, especially phytochemicals found in edible plants, vegetables and herbs have potent functions to control our body functions for well-being, and these phytochemicals are supposed to contribute our health.In this review article, we will describe the food functions of garlic, which we have studied for many years, and found its potent medicinal function to prevent lifestyle-related diseases, like cardiovascular disease (CVD). For the prevention of CVD by medicinal foods, regulation of the platelet function, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, oxidative stresses, and the production of hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide are thought to be important targets. Allyl sulfides are the characteristic flavor components derived from garlic. Garlic contains a great amount of sulfur as amino acids such as S-allyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide (alliin). Upon damage to the cellular structure of garlic, C-S lyase (alliinase) acts on alliin, and converts it into allicin (allylthiosulfinate). Allicin forms several sulfides including diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS), diallyl trisulfide (DATS), or methyl allyl trisulfide (MATS) by non-enzymatic reaction. These organosulfur compounds are thought to be responsible for the food function of garlic (3). Anticardiovascular Diseases and Antithrombotic Effects of GarlicThe incidence of cardiovascular and thrombotic disease has increased recently and these diseases are the leading causes of death, especially in industrialized countries. The basic pathogenesis is attributed to atherosclerosis. The intake of garlic is supposed to lower the mortality and morbidity rates of these diseases through its antithrombotic, lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic effects. Summary Lifestyle-related diseases have complex pathogenesis which consists of several different steps. Basic causes of the diseases are attributed to unhealthy lifestyles in dietary ha...

Antioxidant and Oxidative Stress: A Mutual Interplay in Age-Related Diseases

“…Fe-S clusters are vitally important for the origin of life, particularly acetyl-CoA, RNA, and DNA (Fuss et al, 2015 ). Organosulfur compounds (Figure 5 ) usually present in onion, garlic, and Chinese chive, which may benefit a certain group of the population because they appear to combat oxidative stress associated age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease (Lu et al, 2015 ; Seki and Hosono, 2015 ; Wang et al, 2015 ), diabetes (Akash et al, 2014 ; Sambu et al, 2015 ), obesity (Lai et al, 2014 ), and neuroinflammation (Colín-González et al, 2015 ; Wen and Zhu, 2015 ). Organosulfur compounds such as S -allylcysteine has anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammation (Colín-González et al, 2015 ) in addition to alleviating several diseases (Kodai et al, 2015 ).…”

Pharmacological modulation of the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) system by dietaryH2S‐donors: A novel promising strategy in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…Remarkably, plasma concentrations of H 2 S are dramatically compromised in diabetics (Jain et al, 2010; Suzuki et al, 2017; Whiteman et al, 2010); thus, restoring the physiological amount of H 2 S by administration of dietary H 2 S‐donors may be useful in the treatment of T2DM. Finally, there is an intriguing overlapping between the effects promoted by H 2 S and garlic polysulfides in preventing cardiovascular complications associated to hyperglycemia, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, vascular inflammation, and oxidative stress (Benavides et al, 2007; Seki & Hosono, 2015; Tapiero, Townsend, & Tew, 2004). In this regard, the H 2 S‐donor DATS protected cardiomyocytes against high‐glucose induced apoptosis by stimulating the production of CSE‐deriving H 2 S (Tsai et al, 2015), and promoted significant antioxidant effects on high glucose‐induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes through activation of the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway (Tsai et al, 2013).…”

Therapeutic Role of Functional Components in Alliums for Preventive Chronic Disease in Human Being

“…Lots of organosulfur compounds (allicin, allyl sulfides) from garlic are responsible for the food function of prevention of cardiovascular diseases (cancer, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hyperglycemia) [ 69 ]. Garlic can play an important role in preventing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular protection based on risk factor reduction of hypertension and total cholesterol as well as surrogate markers [ 112 , 113 ].…”