Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Hamdard University, New Delhi, India.
Pharm Biol. 2011 Apr;49(4):416-21. doi: 10.3109/13880209.2010.521163. Epub 2011 Mar 11.
Garlic, Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae), possesses high therapeutic and pharmacological properties. Hypoglycemic activity is attributed to alliin (S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide), the main active principle localized in garlic cloves.
To compare the production and therapeutic efficiency of alliin extracted from garlic leaves of plants grown under ex situ and in situ conditions.
Alliin content of leaves was quantified and aqueous leaf extracts (from ex situ and in situ grown plants) were given to normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats for five weeks.
Alliin production noted ~50% enhancement in leaves from plants grown under in situ conditions. Serum glucose, triglycerides, total lipids, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol in diabetic rats treated with alliin produced from in situ grown plants noted significant reduction of ~54%, 15%, 14%, 20%, 24%, and 15%, while 35%, 14%, 10%, 12%, 17% and 11% reduction was noted in diabetic rats treated with alliin produced from ex situ grown plants in comparison with those administered with distilled water. High-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol did not show any significant change. Leaf extract of plants lowered serum enzyme levels (alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase) toward the norm better than glibenclamide. The histopathological alteration in pancreas caused by alloxan was also reduced by leaf extract.
These findings demonstrate leaf extract obtained from plants grown under in situ condition possess higher therapeutic efficiency in comparison with leaf extract obtained from plants grown under ex situ condition. Studies suggest that environmental factors influence production of alliin and its therapeutic potential.
大蒜，Allium sativum L.（百合科）具有很高的治疗和药理特性。降血糖活性归因于大蒜中的主要活性成分蒜氨酸（S-烯丙基半胱氨酸亚砜）。
比较在离体和原位条件下生长的植物的大蒜叶片中提取的蒜氨酸的产量和治疗效率。
定量叶片中的蒜氨酸含量，并将水提叶片提取物（来自离体和原位生长的植物）给予正常和链脲佐菌素诱导的糖尿病大鼠，为期五周。
在原位条件下生长的植物叶片中，蒜氨酸的产量提高了约 50%。用原位生长植物提取的蒜氨酸处理的糖尿病大鼠的血清葡萄糖、甘油三酯、总脂质、总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白（LDL）-和极低密度脂蛋白（VLDL）-胆固醇显著降低了约 54%、15%、14%、20%、24%和 15%，而用离体生长植物提取的蒜氨酸处理的糖尿病大鼠则降低了 35%、14%、10%、12%、17%和 11%，与给予蒸馏水的大鼠相比。高密度脂蛋白（HDL）-胆固醇没有任何显著变化。与格列本脲相比，植物叶片提取物能更好地将血清酶水平（碱性磷酸酶、天冬氨酸转氨酶和丙氨酸转氨酶）降低至正常水平。叶片提取物还减轻了链脲佐菌素引起的胰腺组织的组织病理学改变。
这些发现表明，与离体条件下生长的植物提取的叶片提取物相比，原位条件下生长的植物提取的叶片提取物具有更高的治疗效率。研究表明，环境因素会影响蒜氨酸的产生及其治疗潜力。
