School of Biosciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
School of Medicine, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2020 Jun;65(3):451-465. doi: 10.1007/s12223-020-00786-5. Epub 2020 Mar 23.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a well-known spice widely utilised for its medicinal properties. There is an extensive record of the many beneficial health effects of garlic which can be traced back to as early as the ancient Egyptian era. One of the most studied properties of garlic is its ability to cure certain ailments caused by infections. In the 1940s, the antimicrobial activities exhibited by garlic were first reported to be due to allicin, a volatile compound extracted from raw garlic. Since then, allicin has been widely investigated for its putative inhibitory activities against a wide range of microorganisms. Allicin has demonstrated a preference for targeting the thiol-containing proteins and/or enzymes in microorganisms. It has also demonstrated the ability to regulate several genes essential for the virulence of microorganisms. Recently, it was reported that allicin may function better in combination with other antimicrobials compared to when used alone. When used in combination with antibiotics or antifungals, allicin enhanced the antimicrobial activities of these substances and improved the antimicrobial efficacy. Hence, it is likely that combination therapy of allicin with additional antimicrobial drug(s) could serve as a viable alternative for combating rising antimicrobial resistance. This review focuses on the antimicrobial activities exhibited by allicin alone as well as in combination with other substances. The mechanisms of action of allicin elucidated by some of the studies are also highlighted in the present review in order to provide a comprehensive overview of this versatile bioactive compound and the mechanistic evidence supporting its potential use in antimicrobial therapy.
大蒜（Allium sativum L.）是一种广受欢迎的香料，因其药用特性而被广泛使用。早在古埃及时代，就有大量关于大蒜对健康有益的记载。大蒜最受研究的特性之一是它能够治愈某些由感染引起的疾病。20 世纪 40 年代，首次报道大蒜的抗菌活性是由于从生蒜中提取的挥发性化合物蒜素。从那时起，蒜素就因其对广泛的微生物的潜在抑制活性而被广泛研究。蒜素优先靶向微生物中的含硫蛋白和/或酶。它还证明了调节微生物毒力所必需的几个基因的能力。最近，有报道称，与单独使用相比，蒜素与其他抗菌药物联合使用可能效果更好。当与抗生素或抗真菌药物联合使用时，蒜素增强了这些物质的抗菌活性并提高了抗菌效果。因此，蒜素与其他抗菌药物联合治疗可能是对抗日益严重的抗微生物药物耐药性的一种可行选择。本综述重点介绍了单独使用以及与其他物质联合使用的蒜素的抗菌活性。本综述还强调了一些研究阐明的蒜素的作用机制，以提供对这种多功能生物活性化合物的全面概述，并为其在抗菌治疗中的潜在用途提供支持其潜在用途的机制证据。
