Heat Inactivation of Garlic (Allium sativum) Extract Abrogates Growth Inhibition of HeLa Cells

• Published in: Nutrition and cancer 2016-07, Vol.68 (5), p.818-826
• Main Authors: Chintapalli, Renuka, Murray, Matthew J. J., Murray, James T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allium sativum; Apoptosis - drug effects; Cancer; Caspase 9 - genetics; Caspase 9 - metabolism; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cooking; Cytotoxicity; Food Storage; Garlic; Garlic - chemistry; HeLa Cells; Hot Temperature; Humans; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0163-5581; 1532-7914
• DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2016.1171885

The potential anticancer properties of garlic (Allium sativum) may depend on the method of preparation and its storage. Storage of garlic has not been thoroughly investigated to determine whether anticancer properties are retained. Garlic was prepared and processed to mimic normal options for storage and preparation for consumption. Cytotoxicity was determined by crystal violet assay and mechanisms of cytotoxicity were established by microscopy, SDS-PAGE, and Western immunoblotting. Significant (P < 0.0001) cytotoxicity was observed in all preparations, except with boiled (cooked) garlic. Depending on the method of storage, garlic extract induced either type I or type II programmed cell death, detectable by caspase 9 cleavage, or Poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage and LC3-II accumulation, respectively. The conflicting literature on the anticancer properties of garlic may be explained by differences in processing and storage. This study has highlighted that the potency of the antiproliferative properties of cooked garlic, compared to the uncooked form, is diminished in HeLa cells.