Inhibition by garlic and its allyl sulfides of lung, kidney and liver DNA alkylation by dimethylnitrosamine in rats Lin Zhou, Sidney S. Mirvish. Eppley Inst. for Research in Cancer, Omaha, NE. Garlic is associated with reduced risks of some human cancers, and several garlic allyl sulfides are anticarcinogenic in animal test. We studied garlic and garlic oil components diallyl sulfide (DAS) and diallyl disulfide (DADS) inhibition of DNA guanine methylation caused by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), following similar studies with garlic powder by J.A. Milner's group. We introduced allyl sulfide in 5 mL corn oil/kg or corn oil controls by gavage into male 9- to 12-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats, waited 18 h, injected DMN (20 mg in 5 mL saline/kg) intraperitoneally, killed the rats 3 h later, homogenized and lysed ~400 mg lung, kidney or liver, purified their DNA on Qiagen Genomic tips and hydrolyzed DNA by standard methods. O6-methyl guanine (O6-MG) and guanine were determined by HPLC on a SCX cation exchange column with fluorescence detection. Corn oil controls showed ratios of O6-MG to guanine of 0.066 ± 0.005% (A ± B = mean ± SEM). Inhibition of O6-MG formation (expressed as ratios of O6-MG to guanine, mainly 6 rats/group) was 97 ± 3% (lung), 74 ± 9% (kidney) and 88 ± 5% (liver) for 200 mg DAS/kg given 18 h before DMN; and 23 ± 20% (lung), 32 ± 15% (kidney) and 41 ± 3% (liver) for 75 mg DADS/kg given 18 h before DMN. Feeding 2.5% crushed garlic in a commercial diet for 7 days before DMN injection inhibited O6-MG production by 51 ± 27% (lung), 13 ± 24% (kidney) and 47 ± 15% (liver). Feeding 5% crushed garlic for 7 days showed similar inhibition effect: 45 ± 13% (liver). While feeding 1.25% crushed garlic for 7 days showed no inhibition effect. Feeding 2.5% crushed garlic for 4 days inhibited O6-MG production only by 33 ± 13%. Results help explain inhibition of nitrosamine carcinogenesis by vegetable constituents. AACR Abstract Number: 4788, 2003 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.