An overview of organosulfur compounds from Allium spp.: From processing and preservation to evaluation of their bioavailability, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties

Effect of dietary supplementation of a phytogenic blend containing Schisandra chinensis, Pinus densiflora, and Allium tuberosum on productivity, egg quality, and health parameters in laying hens

Objective

This study was conducted to investigate the supplementary effect of a phytogenic blend (SPA: a mixture containing fermented Schisandra chinensis pomace, fermented Pinus densiflora needle extract, and Allium tuberosum powder in the ratio of 2:2:1) on egg production, egg quality, blood constituents, and visceral organs in laying hens.

Methods

A total of 135 Hy-line brown laying hens (48-wk-old) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments with 5 replicates of 9 hens. The control group (CON) was fed a basal diet (no exogenous SPA addition) and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet containing SPA at the level of 0.1% and 0.3% for 6 weeks.

Results

The feed intake was significantly improved in SPA supplemented groups as compared with the control (p<0.05). However, egg production, daily egg mass, and feed conversion ratio were not different among the dietary treatments (p>0.05). For egg quality traits, only Haugh unit (HU) was significantly improved in SPA (0.3%) (p<0.05) as compared with other groups. However, HU was not affected during 4-wk of storage at 18°C among the dietary treatments (p>0.05). Furthermore, SPA supplementation did not affect the blood biochemical constituents except for the phosphate content, which was significantly higher in SPA groups than the CON group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in visceral organ characteristics and immune indicators (immunoglobulin A [IgA], IgG, and IgM) in SPA or CON groups.

Conclusion

This study suggested that the supplementation of SPA may have beneficial effects on feed intake and egg quality in laying hens.

Variability in Bulb Organosulfur Compounds, Sugars, Phenolics, and Pyruvate among Greek Garlic Genotypes: Association with Antioxidant Properties

In order to assess the diversity of Greek garlic (Allium sativum L.) landraces, 34 genotypes including commercial ones were grown in the same field and their content in organosulfur compounds, pyruvate, total sugars, and total phenolics, alongside antioxidant capacity, was determined. The organosulfur compounds were studied by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) after ultrasound-assisted extraction in ethyl acetate, identifying 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin and 3-vinyl-4H-1,2-dithiin as the predominant compounds, albeit in different ratios among genotypes. The bioactivity and the polar metabolites were determined in hydromethanolic extracts. A great variability was revealed, and nearly one-third of landraces had higher concentration of compounds determining bioactivity and organoleptic traits than the imported ones. We recorded strong correlations between pyruvate and total organosulfur compounds, and between antioxidant capacity and phenolics. In conclusion, chemical characterization revealed great genotype-dependent variation in the antioxidant properties and the chemical characters, identifying specific landraces with superior traits and nutritional and pharmaceutical value.

Chinese chive and Mongolian leek suppress heterocyclic amine formation and enhance nutritional profile of roasted cod

Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are potent mutagens, which can form DNA adducts in various human tissues. There is increasing evidence that mutagenic HA formation and nutrition loss can occur concurrently in fish during vigorous heat treatment. Our study investigated the effects of five Allium spp. (garlic, onion, welsh onion, Chinese chive, and Mongolian leek) on reducing HA formation and improving nutritional quality of roasted cod (Gadus morhua). The results showed that cod patties pretreated with powders of the selected Allium spp. had significantly (P < 0.05) lower levels of HAs (82-92%, except garlic, 49%) than the control. The contents of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in the patties exhibited strong negative correlations with total antioxidant activity (-0.937), phenolic (-0.948), and lipophilic flavonoid (-0.933) contents, whereas the 2-amino-3,8 dimethylimidazo [4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx) (made up only ∼0.7-3% of total HAs) contents exhibited significant positive correlations with these antioxidant parameters. In terms of nutrient composition change, Chinese chive and Mongolian leek were the most effective in preventing oxidative degradation of proteins and unsaturated fatty acids in roasted cod patties, which was translated into significantly higher contents of soluble proteins, essential amino acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This has been the first report on the strong HA-formation inhibitory effect of Chinese chive and Mongolian leek. The dual beneficial functionality of these two Allium spp. may be utilized to reduce the intake of hazardous by-products while enhancing the nutritional and antioxidant properties of roasted cod and probably other protein-rich heat-processed foods.

Allium Flavonols: Health Benefits, Molecular Targets, and Bioavailability

Allium species are revered worldwide as vegetables, condiments, and spices as well as the therapeutic agents in traditional medicine. The bioactive compounds in alliums mainly include organosulfur compounds, polyphenols, dietary fibers, and saponins. Flavonoids, particularly flavonols from alliums, have been demonstrated to have the antioxidant, anticancer, hypolipidemic, anti-diabetic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial activities. However, flavonols are mostly characterized from onions and have not been comprehensively reviewed across different species. This article therefore focuses on flavonol profiles from different Allium species, their health effects, underlying molecular mechanisms, and bioavailability. Intriguingly, the functional health effects of flavonols were mainly ascribed to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities involving a cascade of multiple signaling pathways. Although the Allium-derived flavonols offer tremendous potential in preventing chronic disease risks, in-depth studies are needed to translate their clinical application.

Open-tubular capillary electrochromatographic application of a sol-gel matrix with chilli peppers, garlic, or synthetic additives

This article describes a possible combination of two promising fields of analytical chemistry-the preparation of sol-gel matrices with varying additives and their application in capillary electrochromatography. The inner surfaces of capillaries were coated with the sol-gel solution containing either pure synthetic chemical additive-alliin or capsaicin-or an extract of their natural sources-garlic and chilli pepper, respectively. The modified capillaries were tested for interaction with two neurotransmitters, oligopeptides and nucleotides under conditions of open-tubular capillary electrochromatography. Because both of the natural extracts also contain vitamin C and saccharose, the capillaries with sol-gel modifiers containing each of these substances were also tested. The obtained results from the perspective of changes in the electrochromatograms and the effective mobilities of analytes are discussed with respect to mild conditions both in the preparation process of the sol-gel matrix and during the separations.

Safety assessment of propyl-propane-thiosulfonate (PTSO): 90-days oral subchronic toxicity study in rats

Propyl-propane-thiosulfonate (PTSO) is one of the main organosulfur compounds present in Allium essentials oil. Different applications in the food sector have been proposed for PTSO, such as food and feed additive and as active packaging. However, the authorization of its use depends on its toxicity profile. Thus, as a part of its safety assessment, in this work a repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study has been conducted for the first time in rats following the OECD guideline 408. PTSO was administered to groups of 10 male and 10 female rats at dose levels of 0, 14, 28, and 55 mg/kg/day. No clinical signs or mortality and no changes in body weight, food consumption and feed conversion efficiency were detected through the study. Moreover, no treatment-related changes in hematological and biochemical parameters were observed, for either sex or dose groups. The histopathology study performed revealed no differences in organ weights, and no morphological and histopathological changes were observed. Based on these results, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of PTSO was judged to be ≥ 55 mg/kg/day for both sexes.

The anticholesterol oxidation effects of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.) in frozen fish burgers submitted to grilling

This study determined the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.), as well as evaluated their anticholesterol oxidation potential in fish burgers. The total phenolic contents were 1.1 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g FW to garlic and 1.3 ± 0.4 mg GAE/g FW for leek. Leek extract showed antioxidant activity index (1.3 ± 0.01) in DPPH and β-carotene/linoleic acid assay (66.5 ± 1.6%); however, in ORAC assay, no statistic differences were observed (P > 0.05). Besides that, bioactive compounds of garlic and leek extracts were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray by ionization-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS). Fish burgers were prepared using different concentrations of leek and garlic and stored at -18 °C for 90 days. Thus, at days 0, 30, 60, and 90, the samples were grilled and analyzed as to their cholesterol and cholesterol oxidation products contents. Storage and grilling led to an increase in cholesterol oxidation products; however, addition of garlic and leek minimized cholesterol oxidation products formation. After 90 days, samples containing 3% leek + 0.5% garlic ware the most effective in inhibiting the cholesterol oxides formation during storage and showed the lowest increase in cholesterol oxidation products content (21.16%). Thus, the findings of this research indicate the potential application of garlic and leek as natural inhibitors of cholesterol oxidation in food. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Garlic and leek have a set of bioactive compounds with a wide antioxidant capacity when used in meat foods such as fish burgers. Garlic and leek used as natural antioxidants perform well in the shelf life of fish burgers and can be substitutes for synthetic antioxidants in this type of product. The presence of both vegetables reduced the formation of prejudicial products to human health generated during the shelf life of the food.

Controlled Fermentation Using Autochthonous Lactobacillus plantarum Improves Antimicrobial Potential of Chinese Chives against Poultry Pathogens

Chinese chives (CC) are rich in several antimicrobial constituents including organosulfur compounds, phenolics, and saponins, among others. Herein, we fermented CC juice using an autochthonous isolate, Lactobacillus plantarum having antimicrobial effects against poultry pathogens toward formulating an antimicrobial feed additive. Following 24 h of fermentation, the antimicrobial and antiviral activities of CC juice were significantly enhanced against poultry pathogens. However, the antioxidant activity of CC juice was significantly decreased following fermentation. Meanwhile, the compositional changes of CC juice following fermentation were also investigated. The total polyphenol, thiol, and allicin contents were significantly decreased in L. plantarum 24 h-fermented CC juice (LpCC) extract; however, total flavonoids increased significantly following fermentation. The untargeted metabolite profiling of nonfermented CC juice (NCC) and LpCC extracts was carried out using the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-linear trap quadrupole-orbitrap-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS) followed by multivariate analyses. The score plots of principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS datasets displayed a clear segregation between the LpCC and NCC samples, which suggests their marked metabolomic disparity. Based on the multivariate analysis, we selected 17 significantly discriminant metabolites belonging to the different chemical classes including alkaloid, flavonols, saponins, fatty acids, amino acids, and organic acids. Notably, the flavonols including the glycosides of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin as well as the saponins displayed significantly higher relative abundance in LpCC as compared with NCC. This study provides useful insights for the development of a fermented CC juice based antimicrobial feed additive to combat poultry infections.

Nutraceuticals in Neurological Disorders

Neurological diseases are one of the major healthcare issues worldwide. Posed lifestyle changes are associated with drastically increased risk of chronic illness and diseases, posing a substantial healthcare and financial burden to society globally. Researchers aim to provide fine treatment for ailing disorders with minimal exposed side effects. In recent decades, several studies on functional foods have been initiated to obtain foods that have fewer side effects and increased therapeutic activity. Hence, an attempt has been made to unravel several extraction techniques to acquire essential bioactive compounds or phytochemicals from therapeutically active food products. This has led to the conception of the term functional foods being meddled with other similar terms like "pharmafoods," "medifoods", "vitafoods", or "medicinal foods". With a dire need to adhere towards healthy options, the demand of nutraceuticals is widely increasing to combat neurological interventions. An association between food habits and the individual lifestyle with neurodegeneration has been manifested, thereby proposing the role of nutraceuticals as prophylactic treatment for neurological interventions. The current review covers some of the major neurological disorders and nutraceutical therapy in the prevention of disease.

Natural compounds modulate the crosstalk between apoptosis- and autophagy-regulated signaling pathways: Controlling the uncontrolled expansion of tumor cells

Due to the high number of annual cancer-related deaths, and the economic burden that this malignancy affects today's society, the study of compounds isolated from natural sources should be encouraged. Most cancers are the result of a combined effect of lifestyle, environmental factors, and genetic and hereditary components. Recent literature reveals an increase in the interest for the study of phytochemicals from traditional medicine, this being a valuable resource for modern medicine to identify novel bioactive agents with potential medicinal applications. Phytochemicals are components of traditional medicine that are showing promising application in modern medicine due to their antitumor activities. Recent studies regarding two major mechanisms underlying cancer development and regulation, apoptosis and autophagy, have shown that the signaling pathways of both these processes are significantly interconnected through various mechanisms of crosstalk. Phytochemicals are able to activate pro-autophagic and pro-apoptosis mechanisms. Understanding the molecular mechanism involved in apoptosis-autophagy relationship modulated by phytochemicals plays a key role in development of a new therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. The purpose of this review is to outline the bioactive properties of the natural phytochemicals with validated antitumor activity, focusing particularly on their role in the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy crosstalk that triggers the uncontrolled expansion of tumor cells. Furthermore, we have also critically discussed the limitations and challenges of existing research strategies and the prospective research directions in this field.

Organosulfur Compounds: A Review of Their Anti-inflammatory Effects in Human Health

Phytonutrients are widely recognized for providing protective human health benefits. Among the phytonutrients, epidemiological and experimental studies show that dietary organosulfur compounds (OSC) play a significant role in preventing various human pathological progressions, including chronic inflammation, by decreasing inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin (PG)E₂, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-17, which are all typical hallmarks of inflammation. Evidence supports OSC in reducing the expression of these markers, thereby attenuating chronic inflammatory processes. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is a key regulating factor during inflammation, and novel evidence shows that OSC downregulates this transcriptional factor, thus contributing to the anti-inflammatory response. In vitro and in vivo studies show that inflammation is mechanistically linked with acute and chronic pathological conditions including cancer, diabetes, obesity, neural dysfunction, etc. Furthermore, a considerable number of experiments have demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory properties of OSC occur in a dose-dependent manner. These experiments also highlight indirect mechanisms as well as potent co-functions for protective roles as antioxidants, and in providing chemoprotection and neuroprotection. In this brief review, we provided an overview of the anti-inflammatory effects of OSC and elucidated probable mechanisms that are associated with inflammation and chronic disorders.

In Ovo evaluation of antiviral effects of aqueous garlic (Allium sativum) extract against a velogenic strain of Newcastle disease virus

Introduction: The antiviral property of aqueous garlic extract against a virulent velogenic field isolate of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was investigated in a time of addition assay in embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs). Methods: The ECEs were inoculated with the lowest concentration of the virus with HA (haemagglutination) positive activity. After determination of extract toxicity in ECEs, administration of different concentrations of the extract (0.5, 1, 2, 4 mg/mL) or ribavirin (comparative control) was performed 8 hours before (pretreatment), simultaneously (cotreatment) or 8 hours after (post treatment) virus injection. Allantoic fluids were harvested for infectivity determination, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and viral load (HA titer) assay. In vitro HA blocking activity test was also performed. Results: Allicin content of the extract was 16.6% by HPLC method. The best viability results were related to the extract in pretreatment and ribavirin in co-treatment trials (p<0.05 as compared to infected ECEs with no treatment). Pre and co-treatment assays showed better results on HA titer of garlic treated groups. In infectivity assay, the 50% embryo lethal dose (ELD50) values of NDV were roughly 500 and 50 folds of ELD50 of the untreated virus in pre and co-treatment, respectively. No change was observed in viral shapes in TEM analysis nor HA blocking activity in vitro. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of garlic shows antiviral effects against a velogenic strain of NDV in ovo accompanied by a reduction in virus infectivity and titer. These effects are most pronounced in pretreatment trial.

The effects of thiosulfinates on methane production from anaerobic co-digestion of waste activated sludge and food waste and mitigate method

Thiosulfinates, a natural antibiotic, existed in all parts of Allium, therefore might be accumulated in large amounts in food waste (FW). FW was often added into waste activated sludge (WAS) anaerobic digestion process as a kind of supplement for nutrition balance. However, the impact of thiosulfinates on methane production and the possible approach to mitigate its inhibition on the co-digestion process could be available in few literatures. This work was carried out in a series of batch experiment at pH 7.0 ± 0.2 and 35 ± 1.0 ℃ to promote the further understanding of this process. The experimental results showed that the methane accumulation decreased from 270.6 ± 13.4 to 16.7 ± 7.0 mL/g VSS (volatile suspended solids) when the initial concentration of thiosulfinates increased from 0 to 2.5 μg/g VSS. The activities of functional enzymes (F₄₂₀ and CoM) were inhibited by 99.06% and 99.82% compared with control group when reactor contained 2.5 μg/g VSS thiosulfinates. Furthermore, different temperature, pH, and combination pretreat were applied to impair the inhibition of thiosulfinate. Compared with no pretreatment group, methane yield was increased by 2.26, 32.18 and 42.2-fold, respectively which group was under pretreatment method of heat (100 ℃), alkali (pH 9) and combination.

The inhibitory effect of thiosulfinate on volatile fatty acid and hydrogen production from anaerobic co-fermentation of food waste and waste activated sludge

Thiosulfinate, a nature antibiotic, existed in all parts of Allium thereby accumulating in kitchen waste vastly. However, few literatures were available related to its influence on volatile fatty acids (VFA) and hydrogen production when kitchen waste digestion technology was applied. This study aimed to explore the inhibitory effect and the relevant mechanism. Experimental results showed that the hydrogen accumulation decreased from 23.2 ± 0.8 to 8.2 ± 0.1 mL/g VSS (volatile suspended solid) and maximal total VFA yield decreased from 765.7 ± 21.2 to 376.4 ± 21.7 mg COD (chemical oxygen demand)/g VSS when the dosage of thiosulfinate increased from 0 to 12.5 µg/g VSS. The mechanism study indicated, compared with control group, that the butyric acid decreased from 59% to 20.1% of total VFA yield when reactor in present of 12.5 µg/g VSS thiosulfinate. Moreover, the relative activities of functional enzymes were inhibited 73.4% (butyryl-CoA) and 72.7% (NADH), respectively.

Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Testing, and Safety

Functional foods is a very popular term in the social and scientific media; consequently, food producers have invested resources in the development of processed foods that may provide added functional benefits to consumers' well-being. Because of intrinsic regulation and end-of-use purposes in different countries, worldwide meanings and definitions of this term are still unclear. Hence, here we standardize this definition and propose a guideline to attest that some ingredients or foods truly deserve this special designation. Furthermore, focus is directed at the most recent studies and practical guidelines that can be used to develop and test the efficacy of potentially functional foods and ingredients. The most widespread functional ingredients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), probiotics/prebiotics/synbiotics, and antioxidants, and their technological means of delivery in food products are described. The review discusses the steps that food companies should take to ensure that their developed food product is truly functional.

UPLC-ESI-MS/MS based identification and antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic activities of aqueous extracts from storey onion (Allium cepa L. var. proliferum Regel)

Storey onion (Allium cepa L. var. proliferum Regel) is a variety of onion commonly grown in northern China that has not been researched in detail. This study aimed to identify the chemical compositions of storey onion aqueous extracts by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, as well as characterize the antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities, compared with welsh onion and onion. A total of 42 compounds were identified, among which the contents of organosulfur compounds (962.20 ± 34.55 μg/g), polyphenols (100.40 ± 12.55 μg/g) and organic acids (54.04 ± 2.69 μg/g) in storey onion were higher than those in welsh onion and onion. Additionally, the contents of cycloalliin (551.74 ± 8.12 μg/g), ajoene (159.31 ± 5.30 μg/g) and (E)-1-propene-1-sulfenic acid (72.12 ± 2.98 μg/g) in storey onion were the highest. Storey onion had pronounced DPPH• (IC₅₀ = 1.24 ± 0.52 mg/mL) and OH• scavenging activities (IC₅₀ = 14.45 ± 1.29 mg/mL) as well as ferric ion reducing power (absorbance from 0.32 to 2.21). Onion had the highest ABTS•⁺ scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 1.64 ± 0.64 mg/mL), while welsh onion had the lowest antioxidant activity. Storey onion had the strongest inhibitory effect on all the tested strains (MIC 31.3-125 mg/mL), and cell viability assays against human liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines also illustrated that aqueous extracts from storey onion significantly inhibited cell proliferation (when incubated for 24 h, IC₅₀ = 33.21 ± 1.12 mg/mL) and induced cell apoptosis. Welsh onion and onion also had weaker antibacterial and anticancer activites, with those of onion being the weakest. The results showed that storey onion with excellent biological activity may benefit to human health and can be developed into functional foods.

The Genus Allium as Poultry Feed Additive: A Review

The genus Allium, belonging to the family Amaryllidaceae has been known since ancient times for their therapeutic potentials. As the number of multi-drug resistant infections has increased due to in-feed antibiotic usage in poultry, the relevance of alliums as feed additives has been critically assessed. Garlic and the other Allium species, such as onions, leek, shallot, scallion, and chives, have been characterized to contain a plethora of bioactive compounds such as organosulfur compounds, polyphenols, saponins, fructans, and fructo-oligosaccharides. Consequently, alliums have been validated to confer antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immunostimulatory, gut homeostasis, and lipid- as well as cholesterol-lowering properties in poultry. This review intends to summarize recent progress on the use of edible alliums as poultry feed additives, their beneficial effects, and the underlying mechanisms of their involvement in poultry nutrition. Perspectives for future research and limitations are also briefly discussed.

Natural products with preservative properties for enhancing the microbiological safety and extending the shelf-life of seafood: A review

Seafood is highly perishable, presenting a rapid loss of its quality soon after capture. Temperature is the critical parameter that impacts on seafood shelf-life reduction, allowing the growth of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. In recent years, the search by additional methods of preserving seafood has increased, able to ensure quality and safety. Several natural preservatives have highlighted and gained considerable attention from the scientific community, consumers, industry, and health sectors as a method with broad action antimicrobial and generally economical. Natural preservatives, from different sources, have been widely studied, such as chitosan from animal sources, essential oils, and plant extracts from a plant source, lactic acid bacteria, and bacteriocins from microbiological sources and organic acid from different sources, all with great potential for use in seafood systems. This review focuses on the natural preservatives studied in seafood matrices, their forms of application, concentrations usually employed, their mechanisms of action, factors that interfere in their use and the synergistic effect of the interactions among the natural preservatives, with a focus for maintenance of quality and ensure of food safety.

Ir(iii)-catalyzed thioether directed arene C-H alkenylation

In this study, we demonstrate an Ir(iii)-catalyzed thioether directed alkenylation of arene C–H bonds under mild reaction conditions. The selectivity for mono- or di-alkenylation is controlled by the concentration of alkene and oxidant loading. Various functional groups are tolerated, and moderate to good yields of alkenylated products are achieved.

In this study, we demonstrate an Ir(iii)-catalyzed thioether directed alkenylation of arene C–H bonds under mild reaction conditions.

Identification and Allelopathy of Green Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Volatiles on Scavenging of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Reactive Oxygen Species

Garlic and formulations containing allicin are used widely as fungicides in modern agriculture. However, limited reports are available on the allelopathic mechanism of green garlic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and its component allelochemicals. The aim of this study was to investigate VOCs of green garlic and their effect on scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cucumber. In this study, green garlic VOCs were collected by HS-SPME, then analyzed by GS-MS. Their biological activity were verified by bioassays. The results showed that diallyl disulfide (DADS) is the main allelochemical of green garlic VOCs and the DADS content released from green garlic is approximately 0.08 mg/g. On this basis, the allelopathic effects of green garlic VOCs in vivo and 1 mmol/L DADS on scavenging of ROS in cucumber seedlings were further studied. Green garlic VOCs and DADS both reduce superoxide anion and increase the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide of cucumber seedlings. They can also regulate active antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, POD), antioxidant substances (MDA, GSH and ASA) and genes (CscAPX, CsGPX, CsMDAR, CsSOD, CsCAT, CsPOD) responding to oxidative stress in cucumber seedlings.

Neutrophil Immunomodulatory Activity of Natural Organosulfur Compounds

Organosulfur compounds are bioactive components of garlic essential oil (EO), mustard oil, Ferula EOs, asafoetida, and other plant and food extracts. Traditionally, garlic (Allium sativum) is used to boost the immune system; however, the mechanisms involved in the putative immunomodulatory effects of garlic are unknown. We investigated the effects of garlic EO and 22 organosulfur compounds on human neutrophil responses. Garlic EO, allyl propyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide, diallyl disulfide, and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) directly activated Ca²⁺ flux in neutrophils, with the most potent being AITC. Although 1,3-dithiane did not activate neutrophil Ca²⁺ flux, this minor constituent of garlic EO stimulated neutrophil reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In contrast, a close analog (1,4-dithiane) was unable to activate neutrophil ROS production. Although 1,3-dithiane-1-oxide also stimulated neutrophil ROS production, only traces of this oxidation product were generated after a 5 h treatment of HL60 cells with 1,3-dithiane. Evaluation of several phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitors with different subtype specificities (A-66, TGX 221, AS605240, and PI 3065) showed that the PI3K p110δ inhibitor PI 3065 was the most potent inhibitor of 1,3-dithiane-induced neutrophil ROS production. Furthermore, 1,3-dithiane enhanced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), glycogen synthase kinase 3 α/β (GSK-3α/β), and cAMP response element binding (CREB) protein in differentiated neutrophil-like HL60 cells. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed the reactivity of 1,3-dithiane vs. 1,4-dithiane, based on the frontier molecular orbital analysis. Our results demonstrate that certain organosulfur compounds can activate neutrophil functional activity and may serve as biological response modifiers by augmenting phagocyte functions.

Japanese, Mediterranean and Argentinean diets and their potential roles in neurodegenerative diseases

Environmental factors are responsible of cellular senescence and processes found in the development of cognitive disorders. The aim of this paper is to compare benefits of the Japanese, Mediterranean, and Argentinian Diet on the onset or prevention of senile dementia (SD) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Special focus was on the effects of specific compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), antioxidants, and saturated and trans fatty acids. A high adherence to diets rich in PUFAs, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and antioxidants may decrease the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases; while the predominance of saturated and trans fatty acids possibly rises it.