Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the biological activities of two Allium species (garlic and onion) as well as diallyl disulphide (DADS) and dipropyl disulphide (DPDS) as their representative bioactive compounds in a multi-assay experimental design. The genotoxic, antigenotoxic, and lifespan effects of garlic, onion, DADS, and DPDS were checked in Drosophila melanogaster and their cytotoxic, pro-apoptotic, and DNA-clastogenic activities were analyzed using HL60 tumoral cells. All compounds were non-genotoxic and antigenotoxic against H2O2-induced DNA damage with a positive dose-response effect and different inhibition percentages (the highest value: 95% for DADS) at all tested concentrations. Daily intake of Allium vegetables, DADS, or DPDS had no positive effects on flies’ lifespan and health span. Garlic and DADS exerted the highest cytotoxic effects in a positive dose-dependent manner. Garlic and DADS exerted a DNA-internucleosomal fragmentation as an index of induced proapoptotic activity on HL60 cells. Allium vegetables and DADS were able to induce clastogenic strand breaks in the DNA of HL60 cells. This study showed the genomic safety of the assayed substances and their protective genetic effects against the hydrogen peroxide genotoxine. Long-term treatments during the whole life of the Drosophila genetic model were beneficial only at low-median concentrations. The chemo-preventive activity of garlic could be associated with its distinctive organosulfur DADS. We suggest that supplementary studies are needed to clarify the cell death pathway against garlic and DADS.
Highlights
The Mediterranean diet is one of the best nutritional patterns for humans due to its demonstrated beneficial effects on health
Validation of the experimental design was assessed by the results of the positive control (H2 O2, 0.37 total spots/wing), which agreed with our previous results [50,65]
Our results showed that only garlic and diallyl disulphide (DADS) have a strong cytotoxic effect and induce a clear DNA pro-apoptotic inter-nucleosomal fragmentation against HL60 cells
Summary
The Mediterranean diet is one of the best nutritional patterns for humans due to its demonstrated beneficial effects on health. According to the Food Administration Organization (FAO), these vegetables are two of the most important crops worldwide with a production of 20,000 tons of garlic and 100,000 tons of onion, respectively, in 2015, which shows a trend toward an increased consumption in the recent years due to the expansion of the Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Both volatile and non-volatile compounds are found in Allium species. Despite the above described differences between garlic and onion non-volatile content, these two species contain a unique and distinctive group of volatile organosulfur compounds
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