Allicin induces apoptosis in EL-4 cellsin vitroby activation of expression of caspase-3 and -12 and up-regulation of the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2

Abstract

Garlic (Allium sativum L.; Liliaceae) has been widely demonstrated in the role of cancer prevention, but the specific compound in garlic corresponding to this effect and its mechanisms are not clearly known. Allicin is one of the organic sulphur compounds derived from garlic. In the present study we investigated the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of allicin in murine T-lymphocytes (EL-4) and the mechanism of inducing apoptosis in vitro. The results showed that allicin was effective in inhibiting the proliferation of EL-4 cells in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, allicin could induce the formation of apoptotic bodies, nuclear condensation, DNA spallation, and even activated the expression of caspase-3, -12 and cytochrome C (cyt C). Finally, allicin up-regulated the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and induced a mitochondrion membrane potential (MMP) decrease. Allicin induced apoptosis in EL-4 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, in which the mitochondrial pathway might play a central role.

A Review of the Cardiovascular Benefits and Antioxidant Properties of Allicin

“…Allicin has other therapeutic effects, including antitumour and antimicrobial activities (Table ). For the antitumour effects, allicin was found to have significant activities in inducing apoptosis in various strains of cancer cell lines, including murine lymphoma EL‐4 (Wang et al ., ) and L5178Y (Padilla‐Camberos et al ., ), human gastric adenocarcinoma SGC7901 (Zhang et al ., ) and human colon cancer cell line HCT‐116 (Bat‐Chen et al ., ). It was also found in an in vivo experiment to be successful in inhibiting tumour growth (Padilla‐Camberos et al ., ).…”

The Synergistic Anticancer Effect of Artesunate Combined with Allicin in Osteosarcoma Cell Line in Vitro and in Vivo

“…Allicin became an object of interest due to its potential to confer a vast spectrum of health beneficial effects including: anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic, anti-hypertensive, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities Cha et al, 2012;Louis et al, 2012;Wang et al, 2012).…”

Garlic (Allium sativum) Fresh Juice Induces Apoptosis in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Involvement of Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2

“…16 Also it has been demonstrated that allicin, another organosulfur in garlic, induced apoptosis in murine T-lymphocytes (EL-4), as evidenced by formation of apoptotic bodies, nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, and by activating ofcaspases 3and 12,cytochrome C (cyt C), decreasing the mitochondrion membrane potential and increasing Bax:Bcl-2 ratio. 19 …”