# Evaluation of Garlic Landraces from Foggia Province (Puglia Region; Italy)
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Phenolic Compounds
Ferulic acid, conferring rigidity to cell walls [51], has been identified as being involved in resistance against thrips [52], stem borers in maize and cotton, and cereal aphids and midges, and in defence against different fungi [53]. Therefore, the higher presence of this compound might be linked to a defence mechanism of landraces to biotic factors. Hydroxcinnamic acids as well as ferulic and caffe acids have been reported, similar to many phenols, as antioxidants since they are reactive toward free radicals as a reactive oxygen species [54]. Caffeic acids, found in coffee, fruit, and vegetables such as garlic, are a well-known pharmacological antioxidant with anti-mutagenic activities and anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects. They are also an anti-wrinkle agent and inhibitor of carcinogenesis, as reported by [PERSON] et al. [47]. Moreover, according to the findings of [PERSON] et al. [55], ferulic and caffeic acids may be the main compounds responsible for the antimicrobial effect of the crude garlic extract. Concerning iso-rhametin, it was identified as a new flavonoid glycoside in _Allium neapolitanum_ and evaluated for its anti-aggregation human platelet activity by [PERSON] et al. [56]. Recently, pre-treatment with iso-rhametin, extracted from sea buckthorn (_Hippophae rhamnoides_ L.), has been shown to play a protective role against acute fulminant hepatitis in mice [57]. 'Peschici' and 'Monteleone' appreciably highlighted a high amount of rutoside-1, known as rutin (a flavonol glycoside between quercetin and disaccharide rutinose), which has been found to have important pharmacological effects, such as in the prevention of ulcerative colitis [58]. Both 'Peschici' and 'Monteleone' also showed the highest amounts of iso-quercitin (also named quercetin 3-\(\beta\)-D-glucose), even if identified at low concentrations, this quercetin glucoside, which can be isolated from several _Allium_ spp. (Chinese onion, garlic, onion, and Welsh onion), has been shown to have anti-proliferative potential in various cancer cell lines [48]. 'Anzano' along with 'Monteleone' were the only two genotypes containing patuletin, a compound also detected on _Allium_ spp. from Romania (A. _obliquum_ L.; A. _senescens_ L. subsp. _montanum_ (Fries) [PERSON]; A. _schoenprasum_ L. subsp. _Schoenprasum_) [59]. Isolated in _Urtica urens_ L., patuletin has been shown to possess an antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging effects in rats treated with aflatoxin B1, a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma [60]. Furthermore, its anti-proliferative, necrotic, and apoptotic activity in tumour cell lines has been claimed recently by [PERSON] et al. [61]. Among the examined landraces, those from Panni Municipality were the poorest in total phenolic compounds but contained a good level of caffeic acid-O-hexoside-1 acid (phenolic acid) and iso-rhamnetin and rutoside-1 (flavonoids). Among the investigated genotypes, 'PanniD' showed the highest value of hyperoside (hyperin) and it was the only landrace which accumulated a considerable amount of quercetol (quercetin). Quercetol (quercetin) has important functional benefits, including an anti-inflammatory activity, an anti-histamine effect, allergy medication, as well as anticancer and antivirus activities. It has also been claimed to regulate blood pressure in hypertensive subjects [62]. The hyperoside (hyperin) flavonoid has also been detected in other common Italian varieties of garlic [6]. Its ROS scavenging activity is well known and are the protective effects for PC12 cells against induced-cytotoxicity [63]. This flavonoid is also a candidate as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of vascular inflammatory diseases in humans and in mice endothelial cells [64].