Organosulfur phytochemicals against metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases: Benefits and risks

The last few decades have seen an explosion of scientific data validating the benefits of thousands of phytochemicals, earning them the sobriquet of plant-derived "supernutrients," even though they are not essential nutrients. Regarded as safe, phytochemicals constitute a rapidly expanding billion dollar industry, often based on experimental in vitro research models, with purified compounds, in doses unattainable through food, using tissue cultures, cell/organelle isolates, and in silico studies. Very often, their benefits are not validated by clinical trials on humans, which typically take 10-15. years to complete, yet these findings make headlines. However, potential risks associated with them are generally not adequately researched nor such findings are highlighted. Organosulfur phytochemicals (organosulfur compounds) constitute an important class of lead compounds for new drugs with antiinflammatory and nutraceutical function against metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. This chapter will attempt to present a more in-depth analysis of this group with an emphasis on evaluating their beneficial effects and minimizing harmful effects.