The knowledge on health benefits of
garlic dates back to ancient Hindu epics. An incident in the manuscripts
quotes that drops of heavenly nectar were accidentally spilt on the
Himalaya Mountains, and after a few days a small plant with the divine
properties of the next was found growing. This plant was called ‘Rason’
meaning ‘king of rasas as it possesses five out of six tastes (taste,
sweet, salt, pungent, bitter and astringent except sour). Rason is known
as garlic in English, and its biological name is Allium sativum. For
over years it has been used as a natural flavouring agent in cuisines
and extensively used for its medicinal value. The potential health
benefits of garlic reside in one of its natural component, allicin, a
strong antimicrobial. Allicin is the main active component in garlic,
which in turn forms the other active components of garlic accounting for
a list of health benefits.
The
Himalayan wonder Garlic is a natural garlic product devoid
of preservatives or any processing. It is the only form of garlic with
the potential to grow in the snowy mountains and withstand the freezing
temperatures. It can be included as a nutritional supplement on daily
basis.
Functional metabolites:
| Alliin |
| Allicin |
| Allixin |
| Allyl polysulfides |
| Diallyl sulfide |
| Diallyl disulfude |
| Diallyl trisulfide |
| N-acetylcysteine |
| N-acetyl-S-allylcysteine |
| S-allylcysteine |
| S-allylmercaptocysteine |
| S-ethylcysteine |
| S-methylcysteine |
| S-propylcysteine |
| 1,2-vinyldithiin |
| Thiacremonone |
Therapeutic applications:
| Anti microbial |
| Anti oxidant |
| Boosts immune system |
| Anti-clotting |
| Aphrodisiac |
Pharmacological applications:
| Conditions |
Details |
| Bacterial infections |
|
| Fungal infections |
Ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot |
| Viral infections |
Common cold |
| Cancer |
Lowers the risk to most types of cancer |
| Cardiovascular disease |
Lowering blood pressure, prevention of atherosclerosis, reduction of
serum cholesterol and triglyceride, inhibition of platelet aggregation,
and increasing fibrinolytic activity |
| High blood pressure |
|
| Rheumatism |
|
| Tuberculosis |
|
| Respiratory disorders |
Asthma, bronchitis |
| Hip osteoarthritis |
|
| Iron uptake |
Increases the production of body ferroportin |
Side effects of garlic supplements (7):
Avoid garlic supplements (oral capsule/ tablet)
- In cases of allergic to garlic showing allergy symptoms like hives,
difficult breathing, and swelling of your face lips, tongue, or throat.
- If planning to conceive
- If on lactation period
- If on certain prescribed medicines (in detail in garlic intervention section)
- If skin shows redness, swelling, or blistering when applied on skin
- If bleeding issues occur like nosebleeds, bleeding gums; also
recommended to avoid supplements for at least two weeks before surgery
and dental treatment as it hinders blood clotting
- If suffering for over bleeding during menstruation
Common side effects (on eating raw garlic):
- Unpleasant breath or body odor
- Heartburn, burning in your mouth or throat
- Nausea, vomiting, gas or
- Diarrhea
Latest studies on Garlic:
- Antibacterial activity: Allicin, a active constituent in garlic
extracts shows potential antibacterial activity against E. coli, S.
aureus and B. subtilis, at concentrations lower than that of the
standard drug amoxicillin demonstrated by zone of inhibition test (9).
- Cardiovascular diseases: The organosulfur compounds in garlic
metabolises into diallyl sulfide, diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide,
diallyl tetrasulfide, ajoene and S-allyl cysteines show a broad range
of cardiovascular benefits. A meta-analysis study of 1,649 participants
showed significant reduction in blood TC, LDL-C and FBG levels, along
with SBP and DBP compared to control substance treated subjects (10).
- Ovarian cancer: Allicin activated JNK pathway in human ovarian
cancer cell line SKOV3 resulting in cell apoptosis. The results were
confirmed by action of SP600125, an inhibitor of JNK which blocked
apoptosis of the cancer cells (11).
- Osteoarthritis: Diallyl disulphide (DADS), another active component
of garlic is studied to show histone deacetylases (HDAC) inhibitor
activity. The HDACs functions in activating the expression of MMPs,
which degrades chondrocytes (12).
- Antiinflammatory activity: Alliin (S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide), an
organosulfur compound of garlic significantly reduced the expression of
proinflammatory genes, IL-6, MCP-1, and Egr-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by
modifying adipocyte metabolic profile (13).
Garlic supplement dosage (8):
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
Oral dosage:
- For high blood pressure: Garlic extract 600-1200 mg divided and given three times daily.
- Aged garlic extract 600 mg to 7.2 grams per day has also been used.
- Fresh garlic 4 grams (approximately one clove) once daily has also been used.
- For prevention of colon, rectal, and stomach cancer: fresh or cooked garlic 3.5-29 grams weekly.
Application on skin:
For fungal skin infections (ringworm, jock itch, athlete’s foot):
garlic ingredient ajoene as a 0.4% cream, 0.6% gel, and 1% gel applied
twice daily for one week
Garlic relish
Garlic has made its way in culinaries around the globe as in pickles,
pastas, salads, and forms of garlic breads, sauces, and the variety of
curries of Asian countries. Studies have shown that the best way to
retain the health benefits of garlic while cooking is to add crushed or
chopped garlic just before finishing of the cooking process so as to not
lose the allicin when stirred into foods at very high temperatures.
Here are some picks on garlic infused menu around the globe.
Easy indian recipe
Easy western recipe
Garlic supplements
Garlic bulbs are harvested and cool-dried to prevent
allicin
from forming until the garlic contacts water in the digestive tract.
These are made available in market under different brands as tablets.
They can be included as a daily supplement as per the supplier’s
instruction included in the product. Some of the well known products are
as below:
Garlic intervention
A combination of certain medications along with garlic in diet
hinders the absorption of the drug. Avoiding consumption of garlic when
on these prescriptions results in effective absorption of the drug.
Lists of such medications are:
| Drug name |
Disease treated |
| Isoniazid (INH, Nydrazid) |
Tuberculosis |
| Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs) |
HIV/AIDS |
| Saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase) |
HIV/AIDS |
| TriphasilOrtho-Novum 1/35, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 |
Contraceptive pills |
| Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) |
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis |
Certain other medications metabolized in liver may be affected as
garlic decreases their breakdown and results in increased side effects.
Some such medications are:
| Drug name |
Conditions treated |
| Acetaminophen |
Pain reliever and a fever reducer |
| Chlorzoxazone (Parafon Forte) |
Painful musculoskeletal conditions |
| Theophylline |
Asthma and COPD |
| Enflurane (Ethrane) |
For anesthesia during surgery |
| Halothane (Fluothane) |
For anesthesia during surgery |
| Isoflurane (Forane) |
For anesthesia during surgery |
| Methoxyflurane (Penthrane) |
For anesthesia during surgery |
| Diltiazem, nicardipine, verapamil |
Calcium channel blockers for heart disorders |
| Etoposide, paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine |
Cancer drugs |
| Ketoconazole, itraconazole |
Fungus-fighting drugs |
| Alfentanil (Alfenta) |
For anesthesia during surgery |
| Cisapride (Propulsid) |
Gastroesophageal reflux disease |
| Fentanyl (Sublimaze) |
Potent narcotic analgesic |
| Lidocaine (Xylocaine) |
Local anesthetic |
| Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia) |
High blood pressure |
| Isradipine (DynaCirc) |
High blood pressure |
| Felodipine (Plendil) |
High blood pressure |
| Amlodipine (Norvasc) |
High blood pressure |
| Aspirin |
Pain, fever, and inflammation |
| Clopidogrel (Plavix) |
Slows blood clotting after heart attack and stroke |
| Diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others) |
Pain, fever, and inflammation |
| Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) |
Pain, fever, and inflammation |
| Naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others) |
Pain, fever, and inflammation |
| Dalteparin (Fragmin) |
Anticoagulant |
| Enoxaparin (Lovenox) |
Anticoagulant |
| Heparin |
Anticoagulant |
| Warfarin (Coumadin) |
Anticoagulant |
