A review of the therapeutic potential of sulfur compounds in Allium sativum

Allium sativum (garlic) has long been known as a very valuable plant for the management of numerous diseases even from time immemorial. The plant exhibits antimicrobial activities over a wide range of microorganism like parasites, fungi, virus and other pathogens. This broad- spectrum of antimicrobial activity coupled with the low toxicity of Allium sativum are an attraction to scientists and it has therefore been vastly employed as a therapeutic cure in contemporary society. The therapeutic properties of garlic (antibacterial, antiviral, fungicidal, anti-cardiovascular disease, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-blood pressure, antiatherosclerosis, antirheumatic, hyperlipidaemia) are linked to the sulphur compounds it contains (diallyl disulfide, allicin, diallyl trisulfide, ajoene's, vinyl-dithiin, micronutrient selenium and S-allylcystein) and these actions are through certain mechanisms such as; inhibition of DNA transcription, cellular growth phase arrest, regulation of quorum sensing, etc. The therapeutic potentials of the sulphur compounds in garlic are considered in this review as well as some mechanisms by which these actions are elicited.