Potential Anticancer Effects of Aged Garlic Extract and its Water-soluble Organosulfur Compounds

Abstract

Background: Cancer is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally; it often leads to a steep rise in healthcare expenses. It is a known fact that various dietary ingredients such as aged garlic is an active anticancer agent, and its extracts do not have a strong odor and pungent taste. Purpose: This review summarizes the potential beneficial effects of aged garlic extract (AGE) and its water-soluble organosulfur compounds on the cancer incidences, and in the prevention and improvement of malignancy factors. Methods: The study utilizes systematic reviews on publications of previous studies obtained from scholarly journal databases including PubMed, Medline, Ebsco Host, Google Scholar and Cochrane. The study utilizes secondary information based on the studies conducted in cancer cell lines, animal and humans as there are increasing evidence of the efficacy of AGE and AGE-derived water-soluble organosulfur compounds in cancer and other malignancies. Conclusion and Recommendation: Although animal and laboratory results were mostly consistent, there is variable evidence from human studies. The overall findings suggest that consumption of AGE and AGE-derived organosulfur compounds can offer significant protection against cancer. In our review, we found that there are shortcomings in various studies. Therefore, we recommend that more investigations are necessary to establish whether aged garlic extract could be considered for cancer prevention.