Cyclic sulfoxides garlicnins B2, B3, B4, C2, and C3 from Allium sativum.

Several novel sulfides, called garlicnins B2 (1), B3 (2), B4 (3), C2 (4), and C3 (5), were isolated from acetone extracts of garlic, Allium sativum L. and characterized. These garlicnins are capable of suppressing M2 macrophage activation and they have a novel skeleton of cyclic sulfoxide. The structures of the former 3 and latter of 2 were deduced to be 2-(sulfenic acid)-5-(allyl)-3,4-dimethyltetrahydrothiophene-S-oxides and 2-(allyldithiine)-5-(propenylsulfoxide)-3,4-dimethyltetrahydrothiophene-S-oxides, respectively. The mechanism of the proposed production of these compounds is discussed. The identification of these novel sulfoxides from garlic accumulates a great deal of new chemistry in the Allium sulfide field, and future pharmacological investigations of these compounds will aid the development of natural, healthy foods and anti-cancer agents that may prevent or combat disease.