Ve. Reeve et al., A GARLIC EXTRACT PROTECTS FROM ULTRAVIOLET-B (280-320 NM) RADIATION-INDUCED SUPPRESSION OF CONTACT HYPERSENSITIVITY, Photochemistry and photobiology, 58(6), 1993, pp. 813-817
Lyophilized aged garlic extract has been incorporated at concentration
s of 0.1%, 1% and 4% by weight into semipurified powdered diets and fe
d to hairless mice. Under moderate UVB exposure conditions resulting i
n 58% suppression of the systemic contact hypersensitivity response in
control-fed mice, a dose-responsive protection was observed in the ga
rlic-fed mice; contact hypersensitivity in the UVB-exposed mice fed 4%
garlic extract was suppressed by only 19%. If the UVB exposure was re
placed by topical application of one of a series of lotions containing
increasing concentrations of cis-urocanic acid, a dose-responsive sup
pression of contact hypersensitivity was demonstrated in control-fed m
ice (urocanic acid at 25, 50, 100 and 200 mu g per mouse resulting in
22-46% suppression). Mice fed a diet containing 1% aged garlic extract
were partially protected from cis-urocanic acid-induced suppression o
f contact hypersensitivity, with greater protection from the lower con
centrations of urocanic acid. Mice fed a diet containing 4% aged garli
c extract were protected from all concentrations of urocanic acid. The
results indicate that aged garlic extract contains ingredient(s) that
protect from UVB-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity and
suggest that the mechanism of protection is by antagonism of the cis-u
rocanic acid mediation of this form of immunosuppression.