Therapeutic role of allicin in gastrointestinal cancers: mechanisms and safety aspects

Allicin, a bioactive compound found in garlic (Allium sativum), has shown significant potential in treating gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric, colorectal, liver, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers. This review focuses on the recent progress in the therapeutic application of this compound for the induction of apoptosis, inhibition of proliferation, and disruption of cancer cell signaling pathways, including the MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB pathways. Taking these mechanisms into consideration, although challenging because of rapid metabolism and inherent instability, allicin could be a very potent candidate for cancer treatment. Allicin and its other derivatives, such as diallyl disulfide (DADS) and ajoene, have been found to have strong anticancer potential both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the effectiveness of allicin in augmenting conventional chemotherapy and retarding tumor growth proves that allicin is one of the most efficient complementary therapies. Epidemiological studies have also demonstrated the role of garlic consumption in reducing the risk of developing cancer. This review examines the potential role of allicin in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers and emphasizes the importance of this compound for future cancer biology research.