Garlic belongs to the family Amaryllidacae of the class Liliopsida and division Magnoliophta. Other members of the family are onion, chives, shallots and leeks. Garlic is also known as stinking rose, heal-all, rustics or poor man’s treacle. By all standards it can be designated as a wonder drug.
Garlic is a herbaceous plant and its bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. The bulb is commonly divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. The cloves are used as seed, for consumption(raw and cooked), and for medicinal purposes. The leaves, stems, flowers and the head(spathe) are also edible and most often consumed while immature and still tender. The culinary and medicinal uses of garlic have been well documented since ancient times.
There is an old English saying “ Manners maketh man”, but in all reality it is food that maketh man. We all know the power of nutrition(food) right from birth till we die. Our growth and development is around what we eat and how disease free we remain. Hippocrates, the father of western medicine advises his followers to “let food be your medicine and medicine your food”.
Garlic is the world’s 2nd oldest medicine(after ephedra) and still among the best. Among Allium genus, it is the most powerful herb. Garlic records go back to 10,000 years ago. It was found at that time in inhabited caves. The first garlic prescription goes back to 3000 B.C. Garlic has been used universally since ancient times, but no body enjoyed it more than the Egyptians. They were called “stinking ones” because of their garlic breath. Garlic played major role in the lives of slaves who built Egyptian pyramids. This herb was found in the tomb of King Tut. According to Egyptian belief garlic prevents illness and increase strength and endurance. The world’s first recorded labor strike was due to shortage of garlic during the construction of one of the pyramids in Egypt. Rationing of garlic to the slaves resulted in a strike. The world’s oldest medical text , the Ebers Papyrus mention garlic as an ingredient in 22 remedies for headache, insect and scorpion bites, menstrual discomforts, intestinal worms and heart problems. Greek athletes have used it before the races and the soldiers before going to war. Greek midwives have been known to hang garlic in the birthing rooms to protect newborns from illnesses as well as from witchcraft. Greek and Roman physicians have used garlic commonly in their treatments of diseases. Hippocrates recommended it for infections, wounds, cancer, leprosy, and digestive problems. Pliny listed garlic in 61 remedies for ailments ranging from the common cold to epilepsy and from leprosy to tape worms. Like the Greeks, Ayurvedic healers have used garlic to treat leprosy. Indians also used garlic to treat cancer. Many of these treatments have been supported by modern scientific researches.
Garlic is unique because of its high sulfur content. In addition to sulfur, garlic also contains arginine, oligosaccharides, flavanoids and selenium, all of which may be beneficial to health. The characteristic odor and flavor of garlic comes from sulfur compounds called allicin. This compound allicin is not only antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral agent, but is also effective in killing of harmful microorganisms which have been drug resistant. It is usual for microorganisms to mutate and become resistant to pharmaceutical drugs. Garlic is known to kill harm full bacteria and is good for maintenance and the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Louis Pasteur, a famous biologist used garlic cloves in the petridish to test its antimicrobial activity and found that it can kill many types of bacteria. In 1950s Dr. Albert Schweitzer has used garlic to treat cholera, typhus and amoebic dysentery while working as a missionary in Africa. During both world wars, garlic has been used to treat many diseases, especially to disinfect wounds and treat gangrene. The soviet army relied so much on the use of garlic that it was nick named as “Russian Penicillin”.
Since the 1920s, garlic broad spectrum properties have been confirmed by many researches. Garlic kills the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, food poisoning, female bladder infections. Garlic may also work against influenza virus infections. Chinese researchers report success using garlic against 21 cases of cryptococcal meningitis, an often fatal fungal infection. Several studies show its effectiveness in treating athletes foot and vaginal yeast infections(candida albicans). The Cherokee also used it as expectorant for coughs and croup.
Garlic is reported to work against many cancers since ancient times. It is now known to work and reduce esophageal and stomach cancers. Reports also indicate its role in reduction of colorectal cancer, intestinal cancer and also prostate cancer. Hippocrates is believed to use garlic for the treatment of uterine cancer. Now we know that garlic is being actively investigated as an anticancer agent. Garlic also shows promise in the treatment of AIDS.
European studies show garlic’s role in eliminating lead and other toxic heavy metals from the body. American population has been exposed to the intake of lead due to leaded gasoline. Children are particularly sensitive to the effects of lead. Add garlic liberally to spaghetti sauces and other foods children enjoy.
Garlic is used to lower blood pressure. In addition, it has the ability to cut down cholesterol and increase HDL level (good cholesterol). Garlic is the best anti-clotting agent and it contains more anticoagulant compound than any other herb. It is a major herb for control of heart attack due to its blood thinning quality and its ability to control high blood pressure. Garlic extracts help to cure ear infections and some minor skin disorders. It also helps in indigestion.
I believe garlic has been the most commonly used culinary and medicinal herb throughout human history. I use garlic capsules and cinnamon-garlic concoction every day to keep myself in good health and call them life savers. Overuse of any herb can cause problems and in some cases can be life threatening. Keep in touch with your own physician. Take care of your optimal health with knowledge.
Soon I will post another article on an important herb – Spirulina (blue-green alga).
Ali M. Jafri, Ph.D.
