S-Methylcysteine (SMC) occurs in a variety of plants, including Allium sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris, and Cruciferae. In this study, we synthesized five organosulfur compounds (OSCs), SMC and four analogs, and examined their modifying effects on diethylnitrosamine-induced neoplasia of the liver in male F344 rats, using the medium-term bioassay system of Ito (Ito test) based on the two-step model of hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, we investigated the modifying effects of SMC and cysteine on the initiation stage of rat hepatocarcinogenesis. Carcinogenic potential was scored by comparing the numbers and areas of induced glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive hepatocellular focl. All OSCs examined had a tendency to decrease the number of GST-P-positive foci when given in the promotion stage of the Ito test, and in particular SMC and cysteine exerted significant inhibitory effects. When given during the initiation stage, these two OSCs also significantly inhibited focus formation. Regarding the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effects of SMC and cysteine, measurement of ornithine decarboxylase in SMC- and cysteine-treated liver tissues after partial hepatectomy (PH) revealed a significantly reduced activity, and the proportion of hepatocytes positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen was significantly decreased by SMC or cysteine administration. Moreover, examination of the expression of the early response proto-oncogenes, c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc, after PH demonstrated down-regulated induction of c-jun mRNA transcripts by SMC, sustained for an eight-hour period. Our results support the view that SMC and cysteine are chemopreventive agents for rat hepatocarcinogenesis and that their intake may be importance for cancer prevention.