US EPA

1344659 

Book/Book Chapter 

GARLIC: A PROMISING ANTIDOTE TO HEAVY METAL TOXICITY 

Chowdhury, R; Chaudhuri, K 

2010 

Food and Beverage Consumption and Health 

215-230 

WOS:000281529900007 

Garlic for centuries has been well known for its medicinal
attributes in addition to its other virtues. Garlic in different forms has antioxidant
properties. These properties are shown to be due to the existence of compounds such as water
soluble organosulfur compounds, S-allylcysteine and lipid soluble compounds like diallyl sulfide.
It shows phenomenal ameliorating properties against heavy metal poisoning due to its possession
of chemicals containing organo-sulfur groups, volatile oils, enzymes, carbohydrates and amino
acids. With the threat of heavy metal poisoning increasing every day and lead, mercury, cadmium,
arsenic, and copper poisoning gradually attaining alarming proportions, garlic was extensively
exploited to treat the metal-induced toxicities. Recent supportive evidences indicate that garlic
contain compounds capable of detoxifying lead, cadmium, methlymercury, phenylmercury and arsenic
The restorative property of garlic was attributed to its antioxidant activity and/or chelating
efficacy. The clastogenic effects of the heavy metals were also pronouncedly reduced by dietary
administration of garlic Fatal effects with respect to body metal burden, oxidative stress and
mitochondrial injury were effectively reduced by garlic The curative effect of garlic was
superior to those of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (BAL) and D-penicillamine(PEN), 2,3-
dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (APEN), and the current remedies. In
this commentary, the research advances on the chemistry and pharmacology of garlic and the
potential and molecular mechanism of garlic mediated attenuation of heavy metal toxicity are
discussed.