INTRODUCTION Since ancient times, garlic has been used as a phytopharmaceutical
agent and a dietary supplement. Ancient
Egyptian documents dating to 1550 after death
(AD) describe oral and topical use of garlic as a remedy for
tumors.(1) Since the 1950s, the scientific basis of garlic’s
medicinal effects has been partially elucidated by studies
demonstrating that thiosulfate extracts from garlic inhibited
tumor growth in sarcomas.(2) In a rat model of intravesical
transitional cell carcinoma, intravesical aqueous garlic extract
instillation enhanced local lymphocyte and macrophage
responses and inhibited macroscopic tumor growth.(3) In
addition, a reduction of tumor volume was reported in a rat
model when garlic extract was administered orally.(4)
Attempts to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the
antitumor effects of garlic revealed that the component diallyl
disulfide (DADS) induces apoptosis through caspase-3
activity. DADS and diallyl sulfide (DAS) also inhibited Nacetyl-
transferase activity in the T-24 human bladder cancer
cell line.(5,6)