Abstract
Garlic has been reported to provide protection against hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis and ischemia-reperfusion-induced arrhythmias and infarction. Oxygen free radicals (OFRs) have been implicated as causative factors in these diseases and antioxidants have been shown to be effective against these conditions. The effectiveness of garlic in these disease states could be due to its ability to scavenge OFRs. However, the OFR-scavenging activity of garlic is not known. Also it is not known if its activity is affected by cooking. We therefore investigated, using high pressure liquid chromatography, the ability of garlic extract (heated or unheated) to scavenge exogenously generated hydroxyl radical (·OH). ·OH was generated by photolysis of H202 (1.2–10 pmoles/ml) with ultraviolet (UV) light and was trapped with salicylic acid (500 nmoles/ml). H2O2 produced ·OH in a concentration-dependent manner as estimated by ·OH adduct products 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) and 2,5-DHBA. Garlic extract (5–100 μl/ml) produced an inhibition (30–100%) of 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA generated by photolysis of H202 (5.00 pmoles/ml) in a concentration-dependent manner. Its activity is reduced by 10% approximately when heated to 100°C for 20, 40 or 60 min. The extent of reduction in activity was similar for the three heating periods. Garlic extract prevented the ·OH-induced formation of malondialdehyde in the rabbit liver homogenate in a concentration-dependent manner. It alone did not affect the MDA levels in the absence of ·OH. These results indicate that garlic extract is a powerful scavenger of ·OH and that heating reduces its activity slightly.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jain RC: Onion and garlic in experimental cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis. Ind J Med Res. 64: 1509–1515, 1976
Lata S, Snaxena KK, Bhasin V, Saxena RS, Kumar A, Srivastava VK: Beneficial effects of allium sativum, allium cepa and commiphora mukul on experimental hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis-A comparative evaluation. J Postgrad Med 37: 132–135, 1991
Mirhadi SA, Singh S: Effect of garlic supplementation to cholesterol-rich diet on development of atherosclerosis in rabbits. Ind J Exptl Biol 29: 162–168, 1991
Rietz B, Isensee H, Strobach H, Makdessi S, Jacob R: Cardioprotective actions of wild garlic (Allium ursinum) in ischemia and reperfusion. Mol Cell Biochem 119: 143–150, 1993
Isensee H, Rietz B, Jacob R: Cardioprotective actions of garlic (Allium sativum). Drug Res 43: 94–98, 1993
Arora RC, Arora S, Gupta RK: The long-term use of garlic in ischemic heart disease; An appraisal. Atherosclerosis 40: 175–179, 1981
Kiesewetter H, Jung F, Fung EM, Blume J, Mrowietz C, Birk A, Koscielny J, Wenzel E: Effects of garlic coated tablets in peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Clin Invest 71: 383–386, 1993
Foushee DB, Ruffin J, Banerjee U: Garlic as a natural agent for the treatment of hypertension: A preliminary report. Cytobios. 34: 145–152, 1982
Ernst E, Weihmayr TH, Matrai A: Garlic and blood lipids. Brit Med J 291: 139, 1985
Prasad K, Kalra J: Oxygen free radicals and hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis: Effect of vitamin E. Am Heart J 125: 958–973, 1993
Prasad K, Kalra J, Lee P: Oxygen free radicals as a mechanism of hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis: Effects of probucol. Intl J Angiol 3: 100–112, 1994
Steinberg D: Antioxidants in the prevention of human atherosclerosis. Circulation 85: 2338–2345, 1992
Simpson PJ, Lucchesi BR: Free radicals and myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. J Lab Clin Med 110: 13–30, 1987
Prasad K, Debnath D, Kalra J, Lee P: Effects of dimethylthiourea on the cardiac function and oxyradical status in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ann NY Acad Sci 723: 375–379, 1994
Prasad K, Kalra J, Bharadwaj B, Chaudhary AK: Increased oxygen free radical activity in patients on cardiopulmonary bypass undergoing aorto-coronary bypass surgery. Am Heart J 123: 37–45, 1992
Prasad K, Kapoor R, Kalra J: Methionine in protection of hemorrhagic shock: Role of oxygen free radicals and hypochlorous acid. Circ Shock 36: 265–276, 1992
Prasad K, Kalra J, Bharadwaj B: Increased chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in dogs with volume-overload heart failure. Brit J Exp Pathol 70: 463–468, 1989
Floyd RA, Henderson R, Watson JJ, Wong PK: Use of salicylate with high pressure liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection (LCED) as a sensitive measure of hydroxyl free radical in adriamycintreated rats. J Free Rad Biol Med 2: 13–18, 1986
Onodera T, Ashraf M: Detection of hydroxyl radicals in the postischemic reperfused heart using salicylate as a trapping agent. J Mol Cell Cardiol 23: 365–370, 1991
Prasad K, Laxdal VA: Evaluation of hydroxyl radical-scavenging property of purpurogallin using high pressure liquid chromatography. Mol Cell Biochem 135: 153–158, 1994
Prasad K, Laxdal VA: Hydroxyl radical-scavenging property of indomethacin. Mol Cell Biochem 136: 139–144, 1994
Ohkawa H, Ohishi N, Yagi K: Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissue by thiobarbituric acid reaction. Anal Biochem 95: 351–358, 1979
Kapoor R, Prasad K: Role of oxyradicals in cardiovascular depression and cellular injury in hemorrhagic shock and reinfusion: Effect of SOD and catalase. Circ Shock 43: 79–94, 1994
Tong-Mak I, Boehme P, Weglicki WB: Antioxidant effects of calcium channel blockers against free radical injury in endothelial cells: Correlation of protection with preservation of glutathione levels. Circ Res 70: 1099–1103, 1992
Prasad K, Gupta JB: Influence of hydroxyl radical on rabbit airway smooth muscle chronically exposed to H2O2 in vivo. Am J Physiol 264: L566-L574, 1993
Mand JK, Gupta PP, Soni GL, Singh R: Effect of garlic on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. Ind Heart J 37: 183–188, 1985
Kleijnen J, Knipschild P, Terriet G: Garlic, onions and cardiovascular risk factors. A review of the evidence from human experiments with emphasis on commercially available preparations. Brit J Clin Pharmacol 28: 535–544, 1989
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prasad, K., Laxdal, V.A., Yu, M. et al. Evaluation of hydroxyl radical-scavenging property of garlic. Mol Cell Biochem 154, 55–63 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248461
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248461