大蒜来源有机硫化物与心血管疾病关系的研究进展

综述了大蒜来源有机硫化物与动脉粥样硬化、高血压、心肌肥厚与心力衰竭、心肌梗死等心血管疾病的关系的研究进展，为大蒜及其相关硫化物对心血管系统的分子机制研究提供科学依据。     

苦参活性成分的抗肿瘤作用机制研究进展

苦参是中国传统的植物药,具有清热燥湿等多种作用,广泛地应用于抗肿瘤研究,其活性成分能够通过细胞周期阻滞抑制肿瘤细胞的增殖、诱导肿瘤细胞分化、通过细胞周期阻滞、Fas/Fasl和线粒体途径诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡,通过降低VEGF等的表达抑制肿瘤血管生成和内皮细胞增殖,抑制肿瘤侵袭和转移,通过抑制端粒酶活性、逆转多药耐药、调节免疫耐受等辅助治疗肿瘤。通过收集、分析和整理最近几年涉及苦参活性成分抗肿瘤作用的文献,综述其抗肿瘤作用机制,为临床应用苦参治疗肿瘤提供参考。     

4－硒（代）硫酸酯多糖的抗肿瘤免疫调节作用及其机制研究

本实验系统地研究了４－硒（代）硫酸酯多糖的抗肿瘤免疫调节作用及其机制。发现该药在体内外均有抑制肿瘤生长的作用,并认为其抑瘤机制与促进巨噬细胞活性,间接促进淋巴细胞活性,释放具有杀伤肿瘤细胞的效应分子以及选择性抑制肿瘤细胞大分子合成有关。结果表明,４－硒（代）硫酸酯多糖是一种兼具杀伤肿瘤细胞和增强免疫功能双重作用的新型免疫型抗肿瘤药。     

青蒿琥酯抗肿瘤作用机制与临床应用的研究进展

青蒿素的可溶性衍生物青蒿琥酯(Artesunate,ART)具有潜在的抗肿瘤作用,能够抑制乳腺癌、肺癌、肝癌、胃癌、宫颈癌以及白血病等多种人类常见肿瘤。其作用机制是多方面的,包括抑制肿瘤细胞增殖和诱导肿瘤细胞分化和凋亡、调控细胞信号转导、抑制肿瘤血管新生、抑制肿瘤侵袭转移、增敏抗肿瘤化疗药物等。近年来有新的研究表明,ART亦可逆转肿瘤细胞的多药耐药作用,且抗氧化可能也是其抗肿瘤的机制之一。本文对近年来ART抗肿瘤作用机制的实验研究作了全面的归纳分析,并对ART抗肿瘤作用机制及其临床应用进行了综述。     

苏木及单体成分的抗肿瘤机制研究进展

肿瘤发生的根本原因是基因调控的改变,而细胞凋亡是在基因调控下的一种细胞自我消亡的过程。因此,开发一种具有抑制肿瘤细胞生长,促进肿瘤细胞凋亡作用的药物是目前研究的重点。近年来研究发现,苏木具有明显的抗肿瘤作用,并且苏木的体内外抗肿瘤作用、不同提取物的作用、不同作用方式的效果不尽相同。此外,苏木不同提取物和各单体成分存在不同抗肿瘤谱,活性各不相同。随着对苏木及其提取物研究的不断深入,苏木及各单体成分的抗肿瘤机制研究也获得一定进展。本文对近年来苏木及其各单体成分抗肿瘤作用的研究进展作一综述。     

黄酮类化合物抗肿瘤研究进展

黄酮类化合物是广泛存在于自然界中的一类多酚化合物,有许多潜在的药用价值,抗肿瘤活性是其研究热点之一。其抗肿瘤作用主要表现在抑制细胞增殖、诱导细胞凋亡、干预信号转导、影响细胞周期、影响血管生成、克服肿瘤细胞多药耐药性等方面。文中就黄酮类化合物抗肿瘤作用的研究进展进行综述。     

姜黄素抗肿瘤的机制

姜黄素具有很显著的抗肿瘤作用。本文通过对几年来国内外对姜黄素抗肿瘤的研究进行总结,介绍了姜黄素的抗肿瘤机制。在分子水平上,肿瘤细胞摄取姜黄素,增加药物作用的靶位点,调节肿瘤细胞的信号传递,从而调节肿瘤细胞中某些酶活性及蛋白质、基因的表达。在细胞水平上,姜黄素能抑制肿瘤细胞的增殖、促进肿瘤细胞凋亡、逆转肿瘤细胞的多药耐药性、增强NK细胞杀伤力。在组织水平上抑制肿瘤血管生成等方面来发挥抗肿瘤作用。     

氨基酸转运体在肿瘤代谢中的研究进展

代谢重编程是肿瘤的重要特征,是指肿瘤细胞为满足其快速增殖的生物合成与能量需求,对其糖代谢、脂代谢以及氨基酸代谢等代谢路径进行的重编程,以维持增长速度以及补偿能量代谢所造成的氧化还原压力。虽然不同的癌症代谢变化不同,但有些特征是所有癌症共有的,氨基酸代谢重编程是其中一个重要的特征。氨基酸进出细胞需要氨基酸转运体的协助,因而在肿瘤细胞中多种特定的氨基酸转运体均过表达。靶向氨基酸转运体通过影响肿瘤细胞的氨基酸代谢从而达到抗肿瘤的目的,是目前抗肿瘤药物的研究热点之一。主要介绍了几种在肿瘤代谢中发挥重要作用的氨基酸转运体以及靶向氨基酸转运体抗肿瘤治疗的研究进展及相关作用机制,旨在了解氨基酸转运体在抗肿瘤研究中的作用,以期促进靶向氨基酸转运体抗肿瘤药物的发展。     

延龄草皂苷抗肿瘤作用机制的研究进展

延龄草皂苷是从延龄草属植物中提取分离的甾体皂苷,是发挥生物活性作用的主要成分。其通过抑制肿瘤细胞增殖,诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡,抑制肿瘤细胞转移,逆转耐药性,调节机体免疫力,增强化疗药物疗效等发挥抗肿瘤的作用。本综述主要分析和总结延龄草皂苷抗肿瘤作用的主要途径和机制。     

沙门菌用于肿瘤生物治疗的研究进展

沙门菌(Salmonella)是用于抗肿瘤生物治疗很有前景的一种生物反应调节剂(biological response modifier, BRM)。鼠伤寒沙门菌(Salmonella typhimurium)是肿瘤生物治疗研究中最为常用的沙门菌之一。沙门菌可以在肿瘤细胞中定植,通过激活抗肿瘤免疫应答、诱导肿瘤细胞死亡等途径抑制肿瘤细胞的生长及转移。沙门菌可与其他抗肿瘤疗法联合使用,增强化疗药物的作用,也可作为抗肿瘤制剂的载体。现就沙门菌用于肿瘤的生物治疗作一概述。     

Neurotrophic Activity of Organosulfur Compounds Having a Thioallyl Group on Cultured Rat Hippocampal Neurons

Several organosulfur compounds found in garlic extract promoted the survival of rat hippocampal neurons in vitro. From the analysis of structure-activity relationship, thioallyl group in these compounds is essential for the manifestation of neurotrophic activity. S-Allyl-L-cysteine (SAC), one of the organosulfur compounds having thioallyl group in garlic extract, also promoted the axonal branching of cultured neurons. These results suggest that thioallyl compounds make a unique group of neurotrophic factors.     

Investigating antibacterial effects of garlic (Allium sativum) concentrate and garlic-derived organosulfur compounds on Campylobacter jejuni by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to study the cell injury and inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni from exposure to antioxidants from garlic. C. jejuni was treated with various concentrations of garlic concentrate and garlic-derived organosulfur compounds in growth media and saline at 4, 22, and 35°C. The antimicrobial activities of the diallyl sulfides increased with the number of sulfur atoms (diallyl sulfide < diallyl disulfide < diallyl trisulfide). FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed that organosulfur compounds are responsible for the substantial antimicrobial activity of garlic, much greater than those of garlic phenolic compounds, as indicated by changes in the spectral features of proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides in the bacterial cell membranes. Confocal Raman microscopy (532-nm-gold-particle substrate) and Raman mapping of a single bacterium confirmed the intracellular uptake of sulfur and phenolic components. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to verify cell damage. Principal-component analysis (PCA), discriminant function analysis (DFA), and soft independent modeling of class analogs (SIMCA) were performed, and results were cross validated to differentiate bacteria based upon the degree of cell injury. Partial least-squares regression (PLSR) was employed to quantify and predict actual numbers of healthy and injured bacterial cells remaining following treatment. PLSR-based loading plots were investigated to further verify the changes in the cell membrane of C. jejuni treated with organosulfur compounds. We demonstrated that bacterial injury and inactivation could be accurately investigated by complementary infrared and Raman spectroscopies using a chemical-based, "whole-organism fingerprint" with the aid of chemometrics and electron microscopy.     

Thiol-reactive compounds from garlic inhibit the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a key factor in the transepithelial movement of sodium, and consequently salt and water homeostasis in various organs. Dysregulated activity of ENaC is associated with human diseases such as hypertension, the salt-wasting syndrome pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary oedema or intestinal disorders. Therefore it is important to identify novel compounds that affect ENaC activity. This study investigated if garlic (Allium sativum) and its characteristic organosulfur compounds have impact on ENaCs. Human ENaCs were heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes and their activity was measured as transmembrane currents by the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. The application of freshly prepared extract from 5g of fresh garlic (1% final concentration) decreased transmembrane currents of ENaC-expressing oocytes within 10 min. This effect was dose-dependent and irreversible. It was fully sensitive to the ENaC-inhibitor amiloride and was not apparent on native control oocytes. The effect of garlic was blocked by dithiothreitol and l-cysteine indicating involvement of thiol-reactive compounds. The garlic organosulsur compounds S-allylcysteine, alliin and diallyl sulfides had no effect on ENaC. By contrast, the thiol-reactive garlic compound allicin significantly inhibited ENaC to a similar extent as garlic extract. These data indicate that thiol-reactive compounds which are present in garlic inhibit ENaC.     

Organosulfur compounds and cardiovascular disease

Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Phytochemicals are non-nutritional chemical compounds found in small quantities in fruits and vegetables with known health benefits. Among them, organosulfides are present mainly in garlic and onion characterized by their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables have anticarcinogenic effects in experimental models. In this review, we are focusing on the main biological studies regarding the beneficial effect of organosulfur compounds on their protection against cardiovascular disease.     

Allyl sulfur compounds and cellular detoxification system: effects and perspectives in cancer therapy

Natural organosulfur compounds (OSCs) have been shown to have chemopreventive effects and to suppress the proliferation of tumor cells in vitro through the induction of apoptosis. The biochemical mechanisms underlying the antitumorigenic and anti-proliferative effects of garlic-derived OSCs are not fully understood. Several modes of action of these compounds have been proposed, and it seems likely that the rate of clearance of allyl sulfur groups from cells is a determinant of the overall response. The aim of this review is to focus attention on the effects of natural allyl sulfur compounds on the cell detoxification system in normal and tumor cells. It has been already reported that several natural allyl sulfur compounds induce chemopreventive effects by affecting xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and inducing their down-activation. Moreover, different effects of water- and oil-soluble allyl sulfur compounds on enzymes involved in the detoxification system of rat tissues have been observed. A direct interaction of the garlic allyl sulfur compounds with proteins involved in the detoxification system was studied in order to support the hypothesis that proteins possessing reactive thiol groups and that are involved in the detoxification system and in the cellular redox homeostasis, are likely the preferential targets of these compounds. The biochemical transformation of the OSCs in the cell and their adducts with thiol functional groups of these proteins, could be considered relevant events to uncover the anticancer properties of the allyl sulfur compounds. Although additional studies, using proteomic approaches and transgenic models, are needed to identify the molecular targets and modes of action of these natural compounds, the allyl sulfur compounds can represent potential ideal agents in anticancer therapy, either alone or in association with other antitumor drugs.     

Isolation, structural elucidation and immunomodulatory activity of fructans from aged garlic extract

Traditionally, garlic (Allium sativum) is known to be a significant immune booster. Aged garlic extract (AGE) possesses superior immunomodulatory effects than raw garlic; these effects are attributed to the transformed organosulfur compounds. AGE is also known to contain fructans; the amount of fructans in AGE represents a small fraction (0.22%) of the total fructans in raw garlic. In order to evaluate the biological activity of fructans present in AGE, both high molecular weight (>3.5 kDa; HF) and low molecular weight (<3 kDa; LF) fructans were isolated. The structures of purified HF and LF from AGE determined by (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR spectroscopy revealed that both have (2→1) β-D-fructofuranosyl bonds linked to a terminal glucose at the non-reducing end and β-D-fructofuranosyl branching on its backbone. Biological activity of fructans was assessed by immunostimulatory activity using murine lymphocytes and peritoneal exudate cells (source of macrophages). Both HF and LF displayed mitogenic activity and activation of macrophages including phagocytosis. These activities were comparable to that of known polysaccharide immunomodulators such as zymosan and mannan. This study clearly demonstrates that garlic fructans also contribute to the immunomodulatory properties of AGE, and is the first such study on the biological effects of garlic fructans.     

Garlic compounds modulate macrophage and T-lymphocyte functions

Organosulfur compounds of garlic have been shown to inhibit growth of animal tumors and to modulate the activity of diverse chemical carcinogens. There is also evidence that garlic may modulate antitumor immunity. In this study, we determined the effects of an aqueous garlic extract and a protein fraction isolated from the extract on the chemiluminescent oxidative burst of the murine J774 macrophage cell line and thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages obtained from BALB/c mice. T-lymphocyte activity was determined using mouse splenocytes incubated with phytohemagglutinin, labeled with [3H]-thymidine and assayed for lymphoproliferation. Significant dose-related augmentation of oxidative burst was observed with garlic extract and the protein fraction. The protein fraction also enhanced the T-lymphocyte blastogenesis. The data suggest that garlic compounds may serve as biological response modifiers by augmenting macrophage and T-lymphocyte functions.     

Allyl-thiosulfinates, the bacteriostatic compounds of garlic against Helicobacter pylori

Allicin and allyl-methyl plus methyl-allyl thiosulfinate from acetonic garlic extracts (AGE) have been isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography. These compounds have shown inhibition of the in vitro growth of Helicobacter pylori (Hp), the bacterium responsible for serious gastric diseases such as ulcers and even gastric cancer. A chromatographic method was optimized and used to isolate these thiosulfinates. The method developed has allowed the isolation of natural thiosulfinates extracted from garlic by organic solvents and is an easy and cheap methodology that avoids complex synthesis and purification procedures. The capacity and effectiveness of isolated natural thiosulfinates have been tested, and this has enabled the identification of the main compounds responsible for the bacteriostatic activity shown by AGE origin of these kinds of organosulfur compounds along with ethanolic garlic extracts (EGE). Additionally, microbiological analyses have suggested that these compounds show a synergic effect on the inhibition of the in vitro growth of Hp. The results described here facilitate the process of obtaining garlic extracts with optimal bacteriostatic properties. The product is obtained in a way that avoids expensive purification methods and will allow the design of live tests with the aim of investigating the potential for the use of these garlic derivatives in the treatment of patients with Hp infections.     

Chemical constituents and medicinal properties of Allium species

Allium species, belonging to Alliaceae family, are among the oldest cultivated vegetables used as food. Garlic, onions, leeks and chives, which belong to this family, have been reported to have medicinal properties. The Allium species constituents have been shown to have antibacterial and antioxidant activities, and, in addition, other biological properties. These activities are related to their rich organosulfur compounds. These organosulfur compounds are believed to prevent the development of cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, diabetes, liver diseases as well as allergy and arthritis. There have also been reports on toxicities of these compounds. The major active compounds of Allium species includes, diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide, diallyl sulfide, dipropyl disulfide, dipropyl trisulfide, 1-propenylpropyl disulfide, allyl methyl disulfide and dimethyl disulfide. The aim of this review is to focus on a variety of experimental and clinical reports on the effectiveness, toxicities and possible mechanisms of actions of the active compounds of garlic, onions, leek and chives.

     

An organosulfur compound isolated from oil-macerated garlic extract, and its antimicrobial effect

An organosulfur compound was isolated from oil-macerated garlic extract by silica gel column chromatography and preparative TLC. From the results of NMR, IR, and MS analyses, its structure was determined as E-4,5,9-trithiadeca-1,7-diene-9-oxide (iso-E-10-devinylajoene, iso-E-10-DA). This compound was different from E-4,5,9-trithiadeca-1,6-diene-9-oxide (E-10-devinylajoene, E-10-DA) only in the position of a double bond. Iso-E-10-DA had antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus, and yeasts at the concentration lower than 100 micrograms/ml, but Gram-negative bacteria were not inhibited at the same concentration. The antimicrobial activity of iso-E-10-DA was inferior to those of similar oil-macerated garlic extract compounds such as E-ajoene, Z-ajoene, and Z-10-DA. From these results, it was suggested that trans structure and/or the position of double bond of iso-E-10-DA reduce the antimicrobial activity.