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Original Article

Anti-proliferative and apoptotic ef
Anti-proliferative and apoptotic effi cacy of diallyl disulfi de on fi cacy of diallyl disulfi de on
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma

Osama M. Ahmed 1,2 , Rasha R. Ahmed 3

1 Physiology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt
2 Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Nahda University, Beni-Suef 11787, Egypt
3 Cell Biology, Histology and Genetics Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt

ABSTRACT
Aim: This study was conducted to assess the in vivo and in vitro anti-tumor effects of diallyl disulfi de (DADS) against
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and to suggest its probable mechanism of action. Methods: EAC was induced in female
mice by intraperitoneal injection of EAC-cells from stock mice. EAC-bearing mice were orally treated with 100 mg/kg body
weight for 2 weeks beginning from the 1st day of EAC intraperitoneal transplantation. Cytotoxicity effects of DADS against
EAC-cells in vitro were investigated at different concentrations (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL) of DADS using trypan
blue exclusion assay. Results: Data from this study exhibited a signifi cant decrease in EAC-aliquot volume as well as total
and alive EAC-cell number and a marked increase in dead EAC-cell number and percent in EAC-bearing mice treated
with DADS as compared with EAC-bearing control. These changes were consistent with increased number of cells which
exhibited phenotypic apoptotic signs marked by a decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, an increase of
pro-apoptotic and cell cycle arrest mediator p53 and an elevation of DNA fragmenting indicator terminal deoxynucleotidyl
transferase in EAC-bearing mice treated with DADS. In addition, the tumor marker sialic acid level was markedly decreased
in plasma and Ehrlich ascites in EAC-bearing mice treated with DADS. In vitro, DADS also produced anti-proliferative and
anti-tumor cytotoxic potentials against EAC. Conclusion: DADS may have anti-cancer effects which may be mediated via
modulation of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Key words: Anti-proliferative effects; apoptosis; diallyl disulfi de; Ehrlich ascites carcinoma; imaging; semi-quantitative analysis

Address for correspondence:
Address for correspondence:
Prof. Osama M. Ahmed, Physiology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt.
E-mail: osama.ahmed@science.bsu.edu.eg
Received: 29-01-2015, Accepted: 27-04-2015

INTRODUCTION of phytochemicals could open new avenues in the search
for strategies against proliferation of tumor cells. It was
Cancer still has a high mortality rate. Recently, considerable found by many authors that numerous biologically active
attention has been focused on identifying naturally occurring phytochemicals kill cancer cells by targeting epigenetic
chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic substances alterations that occur during carcinogenesis and by affecting
capable of inhibiting, retarding or reversing the multistage the cell cycle which is tightly regulated by a series of cell
carcinogenesis. Thus, a preventive and/or therapeutic use cycle regulators. [2,3]
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Organosulfur compounds of garlic including diallyl
Access this article online
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involved in the cancer process. [4-8] In addition, available
DOI: epidemiologic evidence is consistent in showing a correlation
10.4103/2394-5079.157602 between consumption of the high amount of garlic and
a reduced risk of cancer, particularly colon cancer, at

Hepatoma Research | Volume 1 | Issue 2 | July 15, 2015 67