Diallyl sulfide, a flavor component of garlic (Allium sativum), inhibits dimethyihydrazine-induced colon cancer

Abstract

Diallyl sulfide, a thioether found naturally in garlic, when given by gavage to C57BL/6J mice inhibited by 74% the incidence and reduced the frequency of colorectal adeno carcinoma induced by 20 weekly injections of 1,2-dimethyl-hydrazine. This result was predicted from a short-term assay measuring defects in nuclear morphology in mouse colon epithelial cells. This chemical is representative of a class of naturally occurring sulfur compounds with profound phar macologic activity, one aspect of which may be cancer prevention.