Affiliations: Department of Bioscience and Technology, School of
Engineering, Hokkaido Tokai University, Sapporo 005-8601, Japan
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Hiroyuki Nishimura, Department of
Bioscience and Technology, School of Engineering, Hokkaido Tokai University,
Sapporo 005-8601, Japan. Tel.: +81 11 571 5111; Fax: +81 11 571 7879; E-mail:
nishimurs@ db.htokai.ac.jp
Abstract: Sulfur-containing compounds contributing to health promotion in
Allium species are produced via enzymic and thermochemical reactions.
Sulfur-containing amino acids and volatile organosulfur compounds were prepared
for an antioxidative assay. The inhibitory activity of S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteines
and their sulfoxides, volatile alk(en)yl disulfides and trisulfides, and
vinyldithiins in Allium species against lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH)
formation in human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was examined. It was
elucidated that the alk(en)yl substituents (methyl, propyl, and allyl) and the
number of sulfur atoms in the compounds were important for the antioxidative
activity. 3,4-Dihydro-3-vinyl-1,2-dithiin, which is produced by a
thermochemical reaction of allyl 2-propenethiosulfinate, exhibited the highest
antioxidative activity of human LDL among sulfur-containing compounds.
