ARGININE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIVATION OF NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE BY GARLIC

Citation
I. Das et al., ARGININE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIVATION OF NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE BY GARLIC, Journal of ethnopharmacology, 53(1), 1996, pp. 5-9
Citations number
10
Categorie Soggetti
Pharmacology & Pharmacy","Plant Sciences
ISSN journal
03788741
Volume
53
Issue
1
Year of publication
1996
Pages
5 - 9
Database
ISI
SICI code
0378-8741(1996)53:1<5:AINRFT>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
Garlic (Allium sativum L., Liliaceae) has had an important dietary and medicinal role for centuries. Its chemical constituents have benefici al effects on cardiovascular risk factors and other medicinal effects in the body. Several components of garlic ate known but the individual compounds responsible for its divergent properties have yet to be est ablished. There is a link between garlic and the L-arginine-nitric oxi de pathway. Amino acid analysis of garlic powder demonstrates that it is a rich source of arginine, the precursor for nitric oxide. However, neither arginine nor alliin-derived products were found to be respons ible for the activation of nitric oxide synthase by garlic in cell-fre e homogenates. Heat treatment of garlic presented its capacity for enz yme activation.