Anticancer Mechanism of Sulfur-Containing Compounds

Fruit and vegetables have traditionally represented a main source for the discovery of many biologically active substances with therapeutic values. Among the many bioactive compounds identified over the years, sulfur-containing compounds, which are present especially in the genera Allium and Brassica, have been showing a protective effect against different types of cancer. Many in vitro and in vivo studies reported that apoptosis is crucial for the anticancer effects of sulfur-containing compounds. Garlic and onion compounds and isothiocyanates contained in Brassica vegetables are able to modulate apoptosis by a wide range of mechanisms. This chapter will give an overview on the induction of apoptosis by sulfur-containing compounds in cancer cells and their different molecular mechanisms. Finally, the potential clinical implications of their proapoptotic effects will be discussed.