Pharmacological value of some natural compounds makes them attractive for use in oncology. The sulfur-containing thiosulfinates found in plants of the genus Allium have long been known as compounds with various therapeutic properties, including antitumor. Over the last few years, the effect of thiosulfinates on various stages of carcinogenesis has been actively investigated. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that thiosulfinates inhibit proliferation of cancer cells, as well as they induce apoptosis. The purpose of this review is to summarize current data on the use of natural and synthetic thiosulfinates in cancer therapy. Antitumor mechanisms and molecular targets of these promising compounds are discussed. A significant part of the review is devoted to consideration of a new strategy for treatment of oncological diseases - use of the directed enzyme prodrug therapy approach aiming to obtain antitumor thiosulfinates in situ.
Keywords: antitumor activity; cytostatic activity; natural; synthetic thiosulfinates; targeted enzyme prodrug therapy.