Allium sativum

 The garlic is one of the best known, and most pungent species of the onion family. It has been used as an herb, vegetable, condiment, and medicine by humans for millennia. In 1858, French scientist, Louis Pasteur demonstrated that garlic has bacteriocidal properties. Medical studies in the late 20th century, like those done by Sidney Belman in 1983, demonstrated that garlic has cancer-suppressing properties, as well as lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

Common garlic, Allium sativum, not to be confused with “Chinese” garlic or Xie bai, A. macrostemon, was introduced into China 2000 BCE, and has since been fully integrated into Chinese cuisine and Chinese medicine. In Chinese food therapy, garlic is used to treat wind-cold disorders (including colds or flu with more chills than fever and runny noses), as well as to prevent cold and flu infections, prevent cold, cough, and vomiting due to cold, to help treat parasitic and bacterial diseases, treat blood and qi stasis, to promote sweating as a diaphoretic, neutralize bacterial food poisoning, and to warm the lungs, spleen and stomach. In Chinese medicine, slices of garlic are used in garlic moxibustion to treat swellings, particularly those caused by insect bites or urticating plants. To perform garlic moxibustion, the slice is placed over the afflicted area, and a small cone of moxa floss is burned on top of the slice. Topically, garlic can be used to ease toothache pain, reduce swellings, and treat styes, white and falling hair.

Numerous studies in Western Medicine have determined that garlic contains several active compounds with enormous health benefits. The various sulfide compounds, in particular, promote vascular health, regulate blood sugar levels and lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Because garlic can prevent platelets from aggregating, it can help treat blood clotting and embolisms. During World Wars I and II, garlic was used as an antiseptic to prevent the onset of gangrene. Garlic is also invaluable in treating scurvy and beriberi because of its high content of both Vitamin C and thiamin. Numerous studies have been done to demonstrate garlic’s bacteriocidal and anti-cancer properties. In keeping with its anti-parasitic properties, garlic and garlic extracts have been used to successfully treat AIDS patients in China who were suffering from various protozoal infections, such as cryptosporidiosis and toxoplasmosis.

One problem of using garlic is that, once a clove is separated from the head, the remaining cloves should be used as soon as possible, otherwise they spoil and rot very quickly. A good way to help in preventing this is to simply peel and chop up all of the cloves, then freeze them.

Another notorious problem of using garlic is the development of halitosis, or “garlic breath.” Garlic breath is caused by the volatile, oil-soluble compound allyl methyl sulfide. Allyl methyl sulfide is absorbed into the bloodstream during digestion, and eventually becomes airborne when the blood reaches the lungs, where the odor travels to the mouth. In order to neutralize garlic breath, it is helpful to mix the garlic with milk, dairy, mushrooms, basil, or other oily or oil-absorbing foods before eating. Using aged, preserved, or pickled garlic, or cooking garlic for longer periods of time will also help reduce the pungent odors and breath. However, these methods reduce much of the health benefits of garlic by denaturing the active compounds.

An important question to ask patients before prescribing them garlic is to ask if they are allergic to it or other Allium species. Garlic/Allium allergies generally manifest as irritable bowel, nausea, ulcerations of mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, and occasionally, anaphylaxis. Some cases may present bleeding of the mucous membranes, as well.

One must take care to apply garlic topically only sparingly, as its various sulfur compounds, including sulfuric acid, allicin, and S-allylcysteine, are skin irritants that can directly stimulate pain receptors. Garlic can also react synergistically with anti-coagulants because of its ability to prevent platelets from aggregating, and also interferes with antihypertensives, hypoglycemic medications, and quinolone-derived antibiotics. Garlic is an extremely beneficial herb that has been documented to promote health and longevity. When used appropriately, it is a safe food item with immense health benefits.