Garlic oil

Garlic (A. sativum) root bulb has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. Allicin is an active component of garlic consisting of a high concentration of sulfur-containing amino acids, which is formed when allicin comes in contact with enzyme alliinase (Tattelman 2005). Garlic has important antineoplastic property. Various studies have shown that consumption of high levels of garlic decreases the risk of colon cancer, stomach cancer, and melanomas by inhibiting the growth and proliferation of cancer cells (Anand et al. 2008; Tattelman 2005). A previous study demonstrated that water extract of fresh garlic had apoptotic effect on cancerous cells and prevented the inception of oral carcinoma (Balasenthil et al. 2002). Another study using 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced buccal pouch cancer model reported that garlic caused apoptosis of malignant cells (Hsu et al. 2004). It can act as an anticarcinogenic agent by scavenging the free radicals, increasing glutathione levels, increasing the activities of enzymes such as glutathione S transferase and catalase, inhibiting cytochrome p450 enzyme, and inducing DNA repair mechanisms; at the same time, it can prevent chromosomal damages (Anand et al. 2008). Garlic therefore is an alternative therapeutic agent for primary as well as invasive cancer (Balasenthil et al. 2002).