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Recent Results in the Organosulfur and Organoselenium Chemistry of Genus Allium and Brassica Plants

Relevance for Cancer Prevention

  • Chapter
Dietary Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 401))

Abstract

Since the discovery by Weisberger and Pensky in 1957 of the anti-tumor activity of ethanesulfinothioic acid S-ethyl ester (1, EtS (O)SEt),1 there has been considerable interest in the cancer preventative properties of genus Allium and Brassica plants, known to generate compounds similar to 1 upon cutting or crushing. This interest has been further stimulated by epidemiological studies suggesting that frequent consumption of these plants is associated with a reduction in risk for certain human cancers,2–4 by research indicating that sulfur compounds from Allium spp. can reduce gastric juice nitrite concentrations,5 that garlic enriched with selenium shows enhanced cancer preventative properties compared to normal garlic,6–8 and that “allylic” constituents of garlic can both inhibit HMG-CoA reductase9 and can prevent activation of nitrosamines.10 Because the cancer preventative properties of genus Allium and Brassica plants are typically associated with sulfur- and selenium-containing phytochemicals in these plants, the nature of the latter compounds will first be reviewed. This will be followed by a summary of recent epidemiological studies associating garlic consumption with reduced risk of gastrointestinal cancer, and a discussion of the antibacterial, cytotoxic, anti-tumor, and antioxidant activity of garlic relevant to cancer prevention.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, 12222, USA

    Eric Block

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    Block, E. (1996). Recent Results in the Organosulfur and Organoselenium Chemistry of Genus Allium and Brassica Plants. In: Dietary Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 401. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0399-2_13

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