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Intake of garlic and its bioactive components
H Amagase1, B L Petesch, H Matsuura
1Department of Research and Development, Wakunaga of America Company, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, USA. Haru-Amagase@wakunaga.com
The Journal of Nutrition
|March 10, 2001
Summary
Garlic supplements offer various health benefits due to synergistic compounds. Processing methods significantly impact the efficacy and safety of garlic preparations like aged garlic extract (AGE).
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Pharmacology
- Food Chemistry
Background:
- Garlic's health benefits are attributed to its diverse chemical components.
- Processing methods alter garlic's chemical composition, affecting its therapeutic properties.
- Commercial garlic supplements exist in various forms, including aged garlic extract (AGE).
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between garlic processing and its health benefits.
- To understand the chemical transformations in garlic during supplement preparation.
- To review the efficacy and safety of different garlic supplement types.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of chemical composition of various garlic preparations.
- Review of existing literature on garlic supplement efficacy and safety.
- Identification of key bioactive compounds in aged garlic extract (AGE).
Main Results:
- Processing significantly alters garlic's active compounds, like the conversion of thiosulfinates to organosulfur compounds.
- Different garlic supplements (powder, oil, AGE) exhibit varied biological activities.
- Aged garlic extract (AGE) contains unique compounds like S-allylcysteine, potentially responsible for additional health effects.
Conclusions:
- Garlic supplement efficacy and safety are highly dependent on processing methods.
- Aged garlic extract (AGE) shows promising hepatoprotective, immune-enhancing, and chemopreventive activities.
- Further research is needed to identify all bioactive components and their synergistic effects in garlic supplements.