Query: Garlic cancer

title: Effects of Helicobacter pylori treatment and vitamin and garlic supplementation on gastric cancer incidence and mortality: follow up of a randomized intervention trial
abstract: To assess the effects of Helicobacter pylori treatment, vitamin supplementation, and garlic supplementation in the prevention of gastric cancer.  Blinded randomized placebo controlled trial. Setting Linqu County, Shandong province, China. Participants 3365 residents of a high risk region for gastric cancer. 2258 participants seropositive for antibodies to H pylori were randomly assigned to H pylori treatment, vitamin supplementation, garlic supplementation, or their placebos in a 2x2x2 factorial design, and 1107 H pylori seronegative participants were randomly assigned to vitamin supplementation, garlic supplementation, or their placebos in a 2x2 factorial design.  H pylori treatment with amoxicillin and omeprazole for two weeks; vitamin (C, E, and selenium) and garlic (extract and oil) supplementation for 7.3 years (1995 2003) Main outcome measures Primary outcomes were cumulative incidence of gastric cancer identified through scheduled gastroscopies and active clinical follow up through 2017, and deaths due to gastric cancer ascertained from death certificates and hospital records. Secondary outcomes were associations with other cause specific deaths, including cancers or cardiovascular disease.  151 incident cases of gastric cancer and 94 deaths from gastric cancer were identified during 1995 2017. A protective effect of H pylori treatment on gastric cancer incidence persisted 22 years post intervention (odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.71) Incidence decreased significantly with vitamin supplementation but not with garlic supplementation (0.64, 0.46 to 0.91 and 0.81, 0.57 to 1.13, respectively) All three interventions showed significant reductions in gastric cancer mortality: fully adjusted hazard ratio for H pylori treatment was 0.62 (95% confidence interval 0.39 to 0.99) for vitamin supplementation was 0.48 (0.31 to 0.75) and for garlic supplementation was 0.66 (0.43 to 1.00) Effects of H pylori treatment on both gastric cancer incidence and mortality and of vitamin supplementation on gastric cancer mortality appeared early, but the effects of vitamin supplementation on gastric cancer incidence and of garlic supplementation only appeared later. No statistically significant associations were found between interventions and other cancers or cardiovascular disease.  H pylori treatment for two weeks and vitamin or garlic supplementation for seven years were associated with a statistically significant reduced risk of death due to gastric cancer for more than 22 years. H pylori treatment and vitamin supplementation were also associated with a statistically significantly reduced incidence of gastric cancer.

title: The garlic compound ajoene covalently binds vimentin, disrupts the vimentin network and exerts anti metastatic activity in cancer cells
abstract: BackgroundGarlic has been used for centuries for its flavour and health promoting properties that include protection against cancer. The vinyl disulfide sulfoxide ajoene is one of the phytochemicals found in crushed cloves, hypothesised to act by S thiolating reactive cysteines in target proteins.MethodsUsing our fluorescently labelled ajoene analogue called dansyl ajoene, ajoene's protein targets in MDA MB 231 breast cancer cells were tagged and separated by 2D electrophoresis. A predominant band was identified by MALDI TOF MS/MS to be vimentin. Target validation experiments were performed using pure recombinant vimentin protein. Computational modelling of vimentin bound to ajoene was performed using Schrodinger and pKa calculations by Epik software. Cytotoxicity of ajoene in MDA MB 231 and HeLa cells was measured by the MTT assay. The vimentin filament network was visualised in ajoene treated and non treated cells by immunofluorescence and vimentin protein expression was determined by immunoblot. The invasion and migration activity was measured by wound healing and transwell assays using wildtype cells and cells in which the vimentin protein had been transiently knocked down by siRNA or overexpressed.ResultsThe dominant protein tagged by dansyl ajoene was identified to be the 57 kDa protein vimentin. The vimentin target was validated to reveal that ajoene and dansyl ajoene covalently bind to recombinant vimentin via a disulfide linkage at Cys 328. Computational modelling showed Cys 328 to be exposed at the termini of the vimentin tetramer. Treatment of MDA MB 231 or HeLa cells with a non cytotoxic concentration of ajoene caused the vimentin filament network to condense; and to increase vimentin protein expression. Ajoene inhibited the invasion and migration of both cancer cell lines which was found to be dependent on the presence of vimentin. Vimentin overexpression caused cells to become more migratory, an effect that was completely rescued by ajoene.ConclusionsThe garlic derived phytochemical ajoene targets and covalently modifies vimentin in cancer cells by S thiolating Cys 328. This interaction results in the disruption of the vimentin filament network and contributes to the anti metastatic activity of ajoene in cancer cells.

title: Consumption of garlic and its interactions with tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking on esophageal cancer in a Chinese population
abstract: Garlic consumption has been associated inversely with esophageal cancer (EC) however, its interactions with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption have never been evaluated in an epidemiological study. We evaluated the potential interactions between garlic intake and tobacco smoking as well as alcohol consumption in a population based case control study with 2969 incident EC cases and 8019 healthy controls. Epidemiologic data were collected by face to face interviews using a questionnaire. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated and additive and multiplicative interactions were evaluated using unconditional logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounding factors. Semi Bayes (SB) adjustments were used to reduce potential false positive findings. EC was associated inversely with raw garlic intake [SB adjusted OR for more than once a week=0.68, 95% CI: 0.57 0.80] with a strong dose response pattern in the overall analysis and in the stratified analyses by smoking and drinking. EC was associated positively with smoking and alcohol drinking, with SB adjusted OR of 1.73 (95% CI: 1.62 1.85) and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.28 1.46) in dose response effects of increased intensity and longer duration of smoking/drinking. Moreover, garlic intake interacts with smoking [synergy index (S)=0.83, 95% CI: 0.67 1.02; ratio of OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.80 0.98] and alcohol drinking (S=0.73, 95% CI: 0.57 0.93; ratio of OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.77 0.95) both multiplicatively and additively. Our findings suggested that high intake of raw garlic may reduce EC risk and may interact with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, which might shed a light on the development of EC as well as a potential dietary intervention among high risk smokers and drinkers for EC prevention in the Chinese population.

title: Anti cancer activities of S allylmercaptocysteine from aged garlic.
abstract: While most types of malignancies remain recalcitrant to treatment, application of natural products or their analogs in daily life has offered some hopes as an effective prophylaxis against cancer onset and progression in the past decades. Emerging evidence supports a link between garlic consumption and decreased cancer incidence. Notably, aged garlic extract (AGE) exhibits stronger anti cancer activities than that of fresh garlic, by virtue of enrichment of several AGE specific organosulfur compounds, including S allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) In this review, we summarize the up to date mechanistic pathways associated with the anti proliferative, anti metastatic and pro apoptotic effects of SAMC in various cancer models. Based upon the proven safety and improved understanding on its anti neoplastic properties, SAMC has gained recognition as a promising daily food supplement for cancer prevention or management.

title: Onion and Garlic Intake and Breast Cancer, a Case Control Study in Puerto Rico
abstract: Studies show an inverse association between onion and garlic intake and risk of cancers of the lung, prostate, and stomach. There is limited evidence on the association between onion and garlic intake and breast cancer. We assessed this association in a population based, case control study in Puerto Rico. Incident, primary breast cancer cases (n 314) were identified among women aged 30 79 from hospital and clinic records. Controls (n 346) were women with no history of cancer other than nonmelanoma skin cancer, residents of the same area. Dietary intake was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Total onion and garlic intake included sofrito (a popular garlic and onion based condiment) intake frequency. Unconditional logistic regression assessed the association between onion and garlic consumption and breast cancer adjusting for age, education, parity, family history, body mass index, age at menarche, total energy, and smoking. Inverse associations with breast cancer were observed for moderate (OR (odds ratio) 0.59, 95% CI (confidence interval) 0.35, 1.01) and high consumption (OR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.87) compared to low consumption of onion and garlic (Ptrend 0.02) Results were similar when stratified by menopausal status. Study results suggest that high onion and garlic consumption is protective against breast cancer in this population.

title: Phytochemicals of garlic: Promising candidates for cancer therapy.
abstract: Of the numerous health benefits of garlic, the anticancer effect is probably the most noticeable. Observations over the past years have shown that the consumption of garlic in the diet provides strong protection against cancer risk. Previous studies involving garlic phytochemicals have usually focused on the cancer chemopreventive properties, but there is little published evidence showing its therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. In view of the multitargeted carcinoma actions and lack of severe toxicity, some components of garlic are likely to play vital roles in the selective killing of cancer cells. However, the rational design of experimental studies and clinical trials are required to verify this concept. This paper discusses the promises and pitfalls of garlic for the treatment of cancer.

title: Garlic and its Active Compounds: A Potential Candidate in The Prevention of Cancer by Modulating Various Cell Signalling Pathways.
abstract: Cancer is a multi factorial disease including alterations in the cell signalling pathways. Currently, several drugs are in use to treat the cancer but such drugs show negative side effects on normal cells and causes severe toxicity.  The current research is mainly focused on medicinal plants with potential therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of cancer without any adverse effects on normal cells. In this regards, garlic and its active compounds including diallyl sulphide, diallyl trisulfide, ajoene and allicin has been established to suppress the growth of cancer and killing of cancer cells.  The review concerns about garlic and its active compounds chemopreventive effect through modulating various cell signalling pathways. Additionally, Garlic and its active compound was established to induce cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and G2/M phases in cancer cells, increased the expression of tumor suppressor genes, inhibition of angiogenesis process, induction of apoptosis and modulating various other genetic pathways.  This review sketches the diverse chemopreventive activities of garlic and their active ingredients in the management of cancer mainly focusing on cell signalling pathways.

title: Anti pancreatic cancer activity of Z ajoene from garlic: An inhibitor of the Hedgehog/Gli/FoxM1 axis
abstract: Overexpression of glioma associated oncogene (Gli) a transcription factor at the final step of Hedgehog (Hh) pathway, is involved in pancreatic cancer development. Therefore, inhibition of Gli can be a therapeutic strategy to treat pancreatic cancer. The objective of this study was to determine effects of Z ajoene from garlic, on Gli mediated transcription and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. We found that Z ajoene could inhibit Gli transcriptional activity in Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) stimulated C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells. Z Ajoene suppressed Gli transcriptional activity and Gli target protein expressions in PANC 1 human pancreatic cancer cells. Z Ajoene also reduced expression of FoxM1, one of Gli target proteins, and subsequently down regulated expressions of cell cycle related proteins. Moreover, Z ajoene reduced cell proliferation and increased G2/M phase of PANC 1 cells. These results suggest that Z ajoene can repress pancreatic cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting Gli signaling. Thus, Z ajoene might be a lead compound for the development of anti pancreatic cancer agent.

title: Anti Cancer Potential of Homemade Fresh Garlic Extract Is Related to Increased Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
abstract: The use of garlic and garlic based extracts has been linked to decreased incidence of cancer in epidemiological studies. Here we examine the molecular and cellular activities of a simple homemade ethanol based garlic extract (GE) We show that GE inhibits growth of several different cancer cells in vitro, as well as cancer growth in vivo in a syngeneic orthotopic breast cancer model. Multiple myeloma cells were found to be especially sensitive to GE. The GE was fractionated using solid phase extractions, and we identified allicin in one GE fraction; however, growth inhibitory activities were found in several additional fractions. These activities were lost during freeze or vacuum drying, suggesting that the main anti cancer compounds in GE are volatile. The anti cancer activity was stable for more than six months in 20 degC. We found that GE enhanced the activities of chemotherapeutics, as well as MAPK and PI3K inhibitors. Furthermore, GE affected hundreds of proteins involved in cellular signalling, including changes in vital cell signalling cascades regulating proliferation, apoptosis, and the cellular redox balance. Our data indicate that the reduced proliferation of the cancer cells treated by GE is at least partly mediated by increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

title: Garlic intake and gastric cancer risk: Results from two large prospective US cohort studies
abstract: Although many case control studies suggested that garlic intake may reduce gastric cancer risk, evidence from prospective cohort studies has been lacking. We examined the association between garlic intake and subsequent risk of gastric cancer among 77,086 women in the Nurses' Health Study (1984 2014) and 46,398 men in the Health Professionals Follow Up Study (1986 2014) Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. We additionally examined garlic intake in relation to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection among 613 participants using logistic regression. During up to 30 years of follow up, 292 participants were diagnosed with gastric cancer. The pooled multivariable RR of gastric cancer among participants who ate garlic, as compared to those who did not, were 1.11 (95% CI 0.81 1.51) for the intake of garlic less than once per week, 0.98 (95% CI 0.71 1.36) for one to four times per week and 1.39 (95% CI 0.89 2.17) for five or more times per week (p for trend 0.23) Similarly, no statistically significant association was observed cross sectionally between garlic intake and H. pylori infection (comparing five or more times per week to never, pooled multivariable odds ratio 1.66, 95% CI 0.89 3.09; p for trend 0.11) The findings from this large prospective study do not support the hypothesis that high garlic intake reduces risk of gastric cancer.