title: Antimicrobial properties of allium species.
abstract: The antimicrobial activity of Allium species has long been recognized, with allicin, other thiosulfinates, and their transformation products having antimicrobial activity. Alliums are inhibitory against all tested microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Alliums inhibit multi-drug-resistant microorganisms and often work synergistically with common antimicrobials. Allium-derived antimicrobial compounds inhibit microorganisms by reacting with the sulfhydryl (SH) groups of cellular proteins. It used to be thought that allicin reacts only with cysteine and not with non-SH amino acids, but evidence has accumulated that allicin and other thiosulfinates also react with non-SH amino acids.
authors: Sejong University, Food Science, Kunja-dong, Gwangjin-ku, Seoul, Republic of Korea. kyungkh@sejong.ac.kr
authors: Kyu Hang
authors: KH
authors: Kyung
mesh_terms: D000490:Allium / Q000737:chemistry*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013454:Sulfoxides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013454:Sulfoxides