Effect of Garlic, Allium sativum L., on the Platelet Aggregation.

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Taking garlic as a food, the platelet aggregation is suppressed to some extent, although blood coagulation and fibrinolysis are unaltered. We found that an active princilpe in garlic is methyl allyl trisulfide (MATS), which is contained about 10 % in the essential oil of garlic. The antiplatelet activity of MATS could be demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo, however, its platelet inhibition mechanisms are not clarified yet.In this project, we have studied to specify the target of MATS within platelets, and obtained the following results ;1. MATS was absorbed by digestive tracts of rats, and appeared in blood circulation, followed by excretion into urine. The half life of MATS in circulation estimated to be about 90 min. The organ distribution of MATS was observed mainly in the liver and kidney. In the circulatory blood, MATS was localized in blood cells including platelet, but not in plasma.2. The ingibitory activity of MATS to platelets was demonstrated to be a suppression of prostaglandin formation from its substrate arachidonic acid (AA). Among the enzymes relating to the AA metabolisms, both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase were inhibited by MATS at the concentration of 10^<-5>M and 10^<-4>M, respectively. However, it is still obscure how MATS interacts with these enzymes. It is thought that as one of the possible mechanisms oxidating reactions by these enzymes would be interfered by the sulfur atom liberating from MATS, if any.3. In addition to these works, we performed to classigy some Allium plants including odorless garlics. Some odorless one should be categorized into onion.