title: Immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects of garlic compounds.
abstract: The benefits of garlic to health have been proclaimed for centuries; however, only recently have Allium sativum and its derivatives been proposed as promising candidates for maintaining the homeostasis of the immune system. The complex biochemistry of garlic makes it possible for variations in processing to yield different preparations with differences in final composition and compound proportion. In this review, we assess the most recent experimental results, which indicate that garlic appears to enhance the functioning of the immune system by stimulating certain cell types, such as macrophages, lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells, and eosinophils, by mechanisms including modulation of cytokine secretion, immunoglobulin production, phagocytosis, and macrophage activation. Finally, because immune dysfunction plays an important role in the development and progress of several diseases, we critically examined immunoregulation by garlic extracts and compounds isolated, which can contribute to the treatment and prevention of pathologies such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disorders, gastric ulcer, and even cancer. We concluded that A. sativum modulates cytokine secretion and that such modulation may provide a mechanism of action for many of their therapeutic effects.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Genetics Department, National Institute of Psychiatry, "Ramón de la Fuente", Clinical Research Branch, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Colonia San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, 14370 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arreola
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avendia del Iman No. 1, Cuarto Piso, 04530 Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Saray
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quintero-Fabián
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacobiología, CUCEI, Universidad de Guadalajara, Boulevard Marcelino García Barragán, No. 1421, Esq. Calzada Olímpica, 44430 Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rocío Ivette
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: López-Roa
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Psychiatry, "Ramón de la Fuente", Clinical Research Branch, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Colonia San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, 14370 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Enrique Octavio
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Flores-Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Periférico Sur No. 4809, Colonia Arenal Tepepan, Delegación Tlalpan, 14610 México, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Reyes-Grajeda
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB), CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada No. 950, Colonia Independencia, 44340 Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico.
authors.forename: Lucrecia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carrera-Quintanar
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB), CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada No. 950, Colonia Independencia, 44340 Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ortuño-Sahagún
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005737:Garlic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts