Organo Sulfur Conjugates from Allium Sativum: Hydrogen Sulfide Releasing Agents for Thearapeutic Applications

Naturalorganosulfurcompounds(OSCs)from Allium sativum L. represent potentialideal anticanceragentsfor their antioxidantand chemoprevention properties.Garlic OSCs are able to suppresstheproliferationoftumor cells in vitro throughthe induction ofapoptosis. Although studies arenecessaryto identifyall their molecular targetsand to clarify their antitumor properties, previous studies have demonstratedthatallyl sulfur compoundsare able to interact with enzymes involved in thedetoxificationsystem,supportingthe hypothesis that these en4,/mesand the proteinsinvolvedin thecellularredoxhomeostasisarepreferentialtargetsof these compounds. In this study,we have optimizeda new protocolperformedat low temperaturesfor the extraction of water-soluble compoundsfrom A. sativum L. Glutathione-organsulfur-conjugates(GS-OSC)wereproduced during the exfiactionand the effects ofthe water-soluble garlic extracts on the cellulardetoxification enzyme thiosulfate-cyanide sulfurtransferase(TST) andon the proliferationoftumour human T lymphoblastoidcell line HuT 78 were evaluated. The hydrogensulfide(H2S)formationfrom these garlicextracts was assayed identifyrng these extracts as new potentialslowly releasinghydrogen sulfide donors and opening the way to the productionofGS-OSC fortherapeutic applications