06/14/2019 / By Michelle Simmons
Daily consumption of food supplements with anticancer potential has become a way to prevent and manage cancer. Aged garlic is one of the superfoods known to fight cancer. A review of studies published in the Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines confirmed that aged garlic can be used as a promising daily food supplement for preventing and treating cancer because of its compound called S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC).
There is growing evidence that supports a link between garlic consumption and decreased cancer incidence. Notably, aged garlic extract (AGE) has stronger anticancer activities than that of fresh garlic, because it is enriched with AGE-specific organosulfur compounds, including SAMC.
In this review, researchers from Fujian Normal University, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, and The University of Hong Kong gathered and evaluated existing studies on SAMC and its anticancer potential. They summarized the up-to-date mechanistic pathways associated with the anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and pro-apoptotic effects of SAMC in various cancer models.
Based on the evidence gathered, the researcher found that SAMC can protect against cancer because of its ability to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increase antioxidant enzymes. SAMC also exhibits anti-tumor effects by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), scavenging active oxygen, and inhibiting inflammation. Moreover, SAMC can induce Bcl-2 family imbalance to cause programmed cell death of tumor cells. It can also inhibit tumor cell proliferation and suppress tumor cell invasiveness. Additionally, it can increase the chemosensitivity of cancer cells.
AGE has been studied most often for its ability to prevent cardiovascular disease. Aged garlic is made by diluting garlic in alcohol without heat. Through this aging process, unique and powerful compounds like SAMC and other S-allyl compounds are produced. AGE protects against cardiovascular disease in various ways:
For more studies on food supplements that have anticancer potential like aged garlic, visit AntiCancer.news.
Sources include:
Tagged Under: aged garlic, alternative medicine, cancer, disease prevention, food cures, food is medicine, food science, foodcures, functional food, garlic, herbal medicine, Herbs, natural medicine, prevention, research, S-allylmercaptocysteine, supplements
FoodIsMedicine.com is a fact-based public education website published by Food Is Medicine Features, LLC.
All content copyright © 2018 by Food Is Medicine Features, LLC.
Contact Us with Tips or Corrections
All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.