Oxidative and Antimicrobial Effects of Alicine

Alicin (dialil-tiosulfinat ili dialil-disulfid-oksid, C6H10OS2) je obrambeni organosumporni spoj koji pronalazimo u bijelome luku (Allium sativum L.) te u drugim vrstama roda Allium poput crvenoga luka (Allium cepa L.). Alicin se proizvodi pri oštećenju tkiva češnjaka iz aminokiseline aliina (S-alil cistein-sulfoksid) u reakciji koja je katalizirana enzimom aliinazom. Smatra se glavnom komponentom bijeloga luka koji se proučava i upotrebljava u medicinske svrhe još od davnina. Karakterističan i lako prepoznatljiv miris bijeloga luka potječe upravo od alicina. Alicin je molekula sa širokim spektrom bioloških aktivnosti. Kao tiosulfinat, pripada reaktivnim sumpornim spojevima (RSS) te ulazi u redoks-reakciju s tiolnim skupinama u glutationu i proteinima, što se smatra esencijalnim za njegovu biološku aktivnost. Pokazao je nedvojbene korisne učinke na ljudsko zdravlje, među kojima su najvažniji antimikrobni i antiparazitni učinci. Posebna pozornost u istraživanjima posvećuje se i njegovim antikancerogenim, antidijabetičkim, imunomodulatornim, antioksidacijskim i kardioprotektivnim učincima. Alicin pokazuje potencijal za prevenciju i tretiranje nekoliko bolesti, uključujući diabetes melitus, kardiovaskularne bolesti i rak. Vjeruje se da takav biološki učinak ima upravo zbog svojih antioksidacijskih i imunomodulatornih svojstava. Jasno je da alicin ima široku i zanimljivu primjenu u medicini, odakle i detaljna rasprava o njegovu ogromnom potencijalu u ovom pregledu. Buduće primjene trebale bi se usmjeriti na farmaceutsku formulaciju alicina, njegovu isporuku te kompatibilnost s hranom i lijekovima zbog njegove biosinteze, nestabilnosti, hlapljivosti i reaktivnosti.Allicin (diallylthiosulfinate or diallyl disulfide oxide, C6H10OS2) is a defense organosulfur compound found in garlic (Allium sativum L.) and in other Allium species such as red onion (Allium cepa L.). Allicin is produced by damaging garlic tissue from the amino acid alliin (Sallyl- cysteine sulfoxide) in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme alinase. It is considered a major component of garlic that has been studied and used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. The characteristic and easily recognizable smell of garlic comes from allicin. Allicin is a molecule with a wide range of biological activities. As thiosulfinate, it belongs to reactive sulfur compounds (RSS) and enters into a redox reaction with thiol groups in glutathione and proteins, which is considered essential for its biological activity. It has shown unquestionable beneficial effects on human health, among which the most significant are antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects. Special attention in research is paid to its anticancer, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and cardioprotective effects. Allicin shows potential for the prevention and treatment of several diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cancer. It is believed that it has such a biological effect precisely because of its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. It is clear that allicin has a wide and interesting application in medicine, hence the detailed discussion of its enormous potential in this review. Future applications should focus on the pharmaceutical formulation of allicin, its delivery, and compatibility with food and drugs due to its biosynthesis, instability, volatility, and reactivity