Patent ID: 8222299

Claim:
A method of increasing the broad spectrum antimicrobial activity localized to the environment adjacent to activated immune system cells of a mammalian host currently emitting reactive oxygen species while reducing cytotoxicity of said antimicrobial activity to host cells, comprising: administering to a mammal in need of said antimicrobial activity a composition comprising one or more allium related organosulfur compounds consisting of a total of 0.1 to 50 milligrams of mercaptans disulfide bonded to cysteine residues; said cysteine residues being within protein molecules that contain cysteine and said mercaptans comprise one sulfur atom and up to 5 carbon atoms in a linear or branched configuration; wherein said one or more allium related organosulfur compounds metabolize within said host to form one or more mercaptans, said one or more mercaptans each comprising a sulfur atom and up to 5 carbon atoms in a linear or branched configuration; wherein said one or more mercaptans serve as an antioxidant within said host, the successive oxidation of said one or more mercaptans forming a thiosulfinate or mixed thiosulfinate resulting in a localized thiosulfinate or mixed thiosulfinate being non-enzymatically formed in response to the localized generation of reactive oxygen species by the activated immune system cells; wherein said localized thiosulfinate or mixed thiosulfinate is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent; whereby the antimicrobial activity of the immune system cells that are currently emitting reactive oxygen species is increased by the formation of an additional antimicrobial agent.