Phytochemical profiling and bioprospecting of snow mountain garlic for dietary and therapeutic applications

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the phytochemistry of SMG and pharmacological efficacies compared to normal garlic (NG). Nutritional and secondary metabolites profiles were established via various standard analytical techniques. The anti-candidacidal, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory bioactivities of SMG were investigated by using in-vivo (rats) and in-vitro experimental models. GC-MS headspace-based profiling of SMG showed 5 unique volatile compounds and a 5-fold higher content of saponins along with enrichment of steroidal glycosides carbohydrates, folic acid, and selenium compared to NG. Notably, SMG was evidenced to have a 22-fold high amount of alliin and gt90-fold S-methyl-L-cysteine than NG. The present study is the first report that identifies several unique phytochemical signatures of SMG along with a validation of the phyto-pharmaceutical efficacy of this folk garlic variety from the trans-Himalayan region. Overall, SMG extract showed remarkable preventive and therapeutic potential against oxidative stress, inflammation, candida infections, and rheumatoid arthritis, which were closely comparable to the therapeutic effects of standard clinical drugs and at par or even better than NG w.r.t. several study parameters. This study as, for the first time, delineated and validated its folk use for arthritis and inflammatory ailments and puts forth it as a potential therapeutic candidate worth deeper exploration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Also, the potential unique antifungal compounds identified in the SMG should be further investigated in pre-clinical and clinical studies. newline