453
Organosulfur compounds were reported to be beneficial as antibiotics for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer, similar to penicillin and cephalosporin (Kandhare et al.
2014). However, certain reports states that both perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (Sant
et al. 2017) and sulfanilamide (Yaribeygi et al. 2018) are toxic towards diabetic
cells. Extensive research is thus required to evaluate the toxic mechanism of these
compounds towards diabetic cells and to predict their toxic dosages and concentrations to use them as potential therapeutic agents against diabetes and diabetesrelated complications.
21.4 Therapeutic Potential of Organosulfur Compounds
21.4.1 Anticancer Properties
Substantial literature has cited the cancer-reducing activities of organosulfur compounds including the arrest of cell cycle, apoptosis, and cell differentiation (Xiao
et al. 2004, 2005; Herman-Antosiewicz and Singh 2005; Lanzotti et al. 2014). The
cancer prevention activity of OSCs is brought about by its neutralizing activity
against carcinogens (Ariga and Seki 2006). Moreover, the ability of organosulfurs
to inhibit cancer cell proliferation is tightly correlated with the sulfur chain length
(Cerella et al. 2011). OSCs were noted to possess inhibiting activity against various
kinds of tumours like that of the prostate (Chandra-Kuntal and Singh 2010), pancreas (Ma 2014), skin (Wang et al. 2012), colon (Lai et al. 2012), small intestine,
stomach (Azarenko et al. 2014), and bladder (Munday et al. 2008).
OSCs derived from garlic like allyl sulfides are known to possess anticarcinogenic activity (Guyonnet et al. 2004; Milner 2009). OSCs from garlic are
known to possess both therapeutic and preventive properties against cancer (Schäfer
and Kaschula 2014). The integrity of sulfides in garlic should be ensured by avoiding unnecessary deterioration by inappropriate cooking and processing to avoid loss
of its anticancer activity (Ariga and Seki 2006). Liver carcinogenesis in rats was
also found to be inhibited by the administration of sulfur substances derived from
garlic (Herman-Antosiewicz and Singh 2005). DADS showed a growth-inhibiting
effect against human neoplastic cells (Sundaram and Milner 1996). Moreover,
DADS also showed inhibition activity against the growth of in vitro human colon,
lung, and skin tumour cells and found to be much stronger than isomolar quantities
of S-(+)-Alk(en)yl-L-cysteines (Ariga and Seki 2006).
In another study, DADS were also established to have synergistic activity with a
cancer suppressor eicosapentaenoic acid (Tsubura et al. 2011). Diallyl sulfoxide
(DASO) and diallyl-sulfone (DASO2) were also found to possess a reductive activity against diverse, chemically-induced tumours in animal models (Yang et al.
2001). Furthermore, OSCs from garlic was found to inhibit proliferation and induce
cell death in both culture and xenograft models of cancer cells (Shukla and Kalra
2007; Powolny and Singh 2008). DAS, DADS, and DATS derived from garlic also
21 Health Benefits of Organosulfur Compounds
Organosulfur compounds were reported to be beneficial as antibiotics for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer, similar to penicillin and cephalosporin (Kandhare et al.
2014). However, certain reports states that both perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (Sant
et al. 2017) and sulfanilamide (Yaribeygi et al. 2018) are toxic towards diabetic
cells. Extensive research is thus required to evaluate the toxic mechanism of these
compounds towards diabetic cells and to predict their toxic dosages and concentrations to use them as potential therapeutic agents against diabetes and diabetesrelated complications.
21.4 Therapeutic Potential of Organosulfur Compounds
21.4.1 Anticancer Properties
Substantial literature has cited the cancer-reducing activities of organosulfur compounds including the arrest of cell cycle, apoptosis, and cell differentiation (Xiao
et al. 2004, 2005; Herman-Antosiewicz and Singh 2005; Lanzotti et al. 2014). The
cancer prevention activity of OSCs is brought about by its neutralizing activity
against carcinogens (Ariga and Seki 2006). Moreover, the ability of organosulfurs
to inhibit cancer cell proliferation is tightly correlated with the sulfur chain length
(Cerella et al. 2011). OSCs were noted to possess inhibiting activity against various
kinds of tumours like that of the prostate (Chandra-Kuntal and Singh 2010), pancreas (Ma 2014), skin (Wang et al. 2012), colon (Lai et al. 2012), small intestine,
stomach (Azarenko et al. 2014), and bladder (Munday et al. 2008).
OSCs derived from garlic like allyl sulfides are known to possess anticarcinogenic activity (Guyonnet et al. 2004; Milner 2009). OSCs from garlic are
known to possess both therapeutic and preventive properties against cancer (Schäfer
and Kaschula 2014). The integrity of sulfides in garlic should be ensured by avoiding unnecessary deterioration by inappropriate cooking and processing to avoid loss
of its anticancer activity (Ariga and Seki 2006). Liver carcinogenesis in rats was
also found to be inhibited by the administration of sulfur substances derived from
garlic (Herman-Antosiewicz and Singh 2005). DADS showed a growth-inhibiting
effect against human neoplastic cells (Sundaram and Milner 1996). Moreover,
DADS also showed inhibition activity against the growth of in vitro human colon,
lung, and skin tumour cells and found to be much stronger than isomolar quantities
of S-(+)-Alk(en)yl-L-cysteines (Ariga and Seki 2006).
In another study, DADS were also established to have synergistic activity with a
cancer suppressor eicosapentaenoic acid (Tsubura et al. 2011). Diallyl sulfoxide
(DASO) and diallyl-sulfone (DASO2) were also found to possess a reductive activity against diverse, chemically-induced tumours in animal models (Yang et al.
2001). Furthermore, OSCs from garlic was found to inhibit proliferation and induce
cell death in both culture and xenograft models of cancer cells (Shukla and Kalra
2007; Powolny and Singh 2008). DAS, DADS, and DATS derived from garlic also
21 Health Benefits of Organosulfur Compounds