Mode of action of garlic oil—Effect on oxidative phosphorylation in hepatic mitochondria of mice

Abstract

The effect of garlic oil on oxidativc phosphorylation in liver mitochondria of mice has been studied. Garlic oil impairs oxidative phosphorylation in hepatic mitochondria. The coupling activity of sites 1. 2 and 3 appears to be affected by garlic oil. The extent to which respiration is affected varies with the substrates used. For example, garlic oil affects respiration during oxidation of NAD-lmkcd substrates such as glutamate to a greater extent than during oxidation of succinate and ascorbate. The inhibitory effect on respiration is less than that on phosphorylation. Diallyl disulfide, the principal insecticidal component of garlic oil, has a similar inhibitory effect on the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast, dipropyl disulfide. which is chemically comparable to diallyl disulfide but is devoid of insecticidal activity, has a substantially lesser effect on oxidative phosphorylation.