Inhibition of platelet activation by lachrymatory factor synthase (LFS)-silenced (tearless) onion juice

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Nov 6;61(44):10574-81. doi: 10.1021/jf4030213. Epub 2013 Oct 22.

Abstract

Onion and garlic are renowned for their roles as functional foods. The health benefits of garlic are attributed to di-2-propenyl thiosulfinate (allicin), a sulfur compound found in disrupted garlic but not found in disrupted onion. Recently, onions have been grown with repressed lachrymatory factor synthase (LFS) activity, which causes these onions to produce increased amounts of di-1-propenyl thiosulfinate, an isomer of allicin. This investigation into the key health attributes of LFS-silenced (tearless) onions demonstrates that they have some attributes more similar to garlic and that this is likely due to the production of novel thiosulfinate or metabolites. The key finding was that collagen-induced in vitro platelet aggregation was significantly reduced by tearless onion extract over normal onion extract. Thiosulfinate or derived compounds were shown not to be responsible for the observed changes in the inflammatory response of AGS (stomach adenocarcinoma) cells to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) when pretreated with model onion juices. A preliminary rat feeding trial indicated that the tearless onions may also play a key role in reducing weight gain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Gene Silencing
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / diet therapy
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Interleukin-8 / genetics
  • Interleukin-8 / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Onions / chemistry*
  • Onions / enzymology*
  • Onions / genetics
  • Onions / metabolism
  • Plant Preparations / metabolism
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology*
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Platelet Activation / drug effects*
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Interleukin-8
  • Plant Preparations
  • Plant Proteins
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors