GARLIC

GARLIC

(Allium sativum)

Garlic is a fresh or dried bulb of Allium sativum Linn. (Liliaceae). Garlic oil is obtained by steam distillation of crushed fresh bulb of Allium sativum. Powdered garlic is derived from the dried bulb.

   It is cultivated on a large scale in India & other Asian countries and to a lesser extent in Europe, America and Africa.

    It is strong scented perennial herb with long flat and firm leaves (0.8-1.6cm wide) flowering stem up to 1.1 m high, bulb with several bulblets (cloves) enclosed in membranous skin.

Chemical constituents :

It contains 0.2-03% volatile oil, allin (S-allyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide) S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide, enzymes (alliinase, peroxidase and myrosinase), ajoenes (E-Z_ajoene, E-Z-methylajoene and dimethylajoene), protein (16.8% dry weight basis), minerals, vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin etc.), lipids, amino acids and others.

     The strong smelling juice of the bulbs contains a mixture of aliphatic mono and polysulphides. The chief constituent is allicin and diallyldisulphide oxide. The latter result from spontaneous enzymatic reduction of allicin and 5-allylcystine sulphamide, thioglycoside, amino acids, fatty acids, flavonoids, vitamins and trace elements.

   Prostaglandins A₂ and F₁ are recently isolated frim fresh homogenized garlic extract.

Health Food:

Fresh garlic and dried powdered garlic are widely used as herb health food supplement and as domestic spice. In these days garlic preparations are the best selling over the counter drug in Germany and in Asian countries. It has been used for thousand of years in treating coigh, cold, bronchitis, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, also used extensively in cancer, generally as juice, cold infusion or tincture. In addition, fresh cloves, garlic tea. Syrup and other preparations have been used as aphrodisiac, to treat fever, Gout, rheumatism, antihyperglycemic and in pulmonary tuberculosis.

     Garlic has antibacterial and antifungal activity against many common pathogenic i.e. staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Shigella sonnei and salmonella typhi. There are several reports showing the hypoglycemic activity of garlic and allicin in animals.

      Fried and raw garlic use has shown an increase in fibrinolytic activity in ischemic heart disease patient. It also has cholesterol and triglyceride lowering effect in animals as well as in human being.

     Safety : Normal use of garlic as a food has not reported any toxic effects, but prolonged chronic feeding of large amounts of garlic powder )350 mg/Kg) reported to have severe testicular lesions after 70 days and arrest in spermatogenesis i.e. 20g (Freeze droed, garlic powder in a 60 kg body weight man). Its asthmatic allergic reaction has been reported in some sensitive person.

        Formulations and Dosage:

Rasonadivati tablet                 - 2-3 b.i.d

Lashoonadi taila                     - 1-2 drops in ear

Pearls of garlic oil                  - 1-2 teaspoonful b.i.d