Ajoene

Ajoene is a disulfide that has been found inA. sativumand has diverse biological activities, including antibacterial, anticancer, antiplatelet, and antioxidant properties.1,2,3,4It is active against Gram-positive (MICs = 5-160 &#181g/ml) and Gram-negative bacteria (MICs = 136-200 &#181g/ml), as well as yeasts (MICs = 10-20 &#181g/ml) .1Ajoene is cytotoxic to mouse melanoma cells (IC50= 18 &#181M), as well as human colon, lung, mammary, and pancreatic cancer cells (IC50s = 7-41 &#181M) .2It reduces tumor growth in a B16/BL6 mouse model of melanoma when administered at a dose of 25 mg/kg every other day and decreases the number of lung metastases when administered prior to tumor cell inoculation at doses ranging from 1-25 mg/kg. It inhibits ADP- or collagen-induced platelet aggregation in isolated baboon platelets when used at concentrations ranging from 75 to 150 &#181g/ml and in platelet-rich plasma isolated from baboons when administered at a dose of 25 mg/kg.3Ajoene (25 mg/kg) prevents thrombus formation on damaged arterial walls in heparinized pigs in anin situmodel of thrombogenesis.5It also reduces high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis, histopathological markers of liver damage, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation, and protein oxidation in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) .4