What are some of the medicinal uses of garlic?

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” This physician prescribed the use of garlic for the treatment of many diseases.  This is a plant of the Liliaceae family and it has a stem that is more than a meter tall with leaves present in the bottom half of the stem. The flowers of these plants are replaced with bulblets. These are glabrous, whitish, or with a reddish tinge.  This plant is commonly called lahsun in Hindi. It has numerous benefits not only in culinary but its benefits regarding the medicinal uses can’t be gainsaid.

The scientific name of this plant is Allium sativum L. and it has acquired a reputation in different traditions as a prophylactic as well as a therapeutic medicinal plant. Ancient Chinese and Indian medicine recommended it to be an aid to respiration and digestion and also to treat leprosy and parasitic infestation. Even in the medieval periods, this plant played a very important role in the treatment of many diseases.

Following are the medicinal uses of garlic:

1.      Effects on cardiovascular diseases:   It is widely recognized for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. There is scientific literature that supports the proposal that consumption of lahsun has significant effects of lowering down blood pressure, reduction in the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride, and increase of fibrinolytic activity.  Rats suffering from hypercholesterolemia, induced by a high-cholesterol diet reduced serum cholesterol with the usage of this diet.

2.      It has an anti-tumor effect: This plant has many possible cancer-preventive effects. It contains a large number of bioactive compounds which have anti-cancer properties.  Different derivatives of diabetes have been reported to modulate an increasing number of molecular mechanisms in carcinogenesis. This plant is reported to inhibit the growth rate of cancer. It has a variety of anti-tumor effects, including tumor cell growth inhibition.

3.      Prevents us against diabetes: This plant can reduce the blood sugar level. It has a bioactive compound – allyl cysteine, which can be very effective for managing blood sugar levels.  The beneficial effect of diabetes is due to the presence of volatile sulphur compounds such as alliin, allicin, diallyl disulfide, etc.

4.      Protects liver: It protects liver cells from toxic agents.  Its extract may reduce lipid peroxidation and enhance the antioxidant defense system.

5.      Anti-microbial effect: It has been known for centuries in various societies to combat infectious diseases. It is believed that Louis Pasteur described its medicinal effect for the first in 1858.  Recent studies show that it has proven to be effective against many kinds of bacteria and microbes.

6.      Antifungal properties: Many fungi are sensitive to it. It reduces the growth of the organism, inhibits the synthesis of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids that damages membranes.

7.      Antiviral properties: The extract of this plant has been effective against influenza A and B. It is also effective against HIV. 

8.      Can reduce blood pressure: It has in it active compounds that are said to be effective against the problem of hypertension. Hypertension is one of the major causes of heart attacks.

9.      It may prevent the problem of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease:  The aging process is contributed due to oxidative damage. It contains antioxidants that support the protective mechanisms of the body against any sort of oxidative damage as well as it solves the problem of hypertension. This may reduce the risk of common brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

10.  Helps detoxify heavy metals in the body: There are sulphur compounds in this plant. These compounds in the body protect the organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

11.  Improves bone health:  It can minimize bone loss by increasing estrogen in females. This shows that it may have beneficial effects on bone health in women. 

12.  Prevents against gum infections: Periodontitis is a serious gum infection. Taking extract of this plant by mouth twice every day may help improve gum health in people who have mild or moderate periodontitis.

13.  Effective against stomach cancer: This can be possibly beneficial against stomach cancer.

14.  Improves Athletic Performance: In ancient cultures, this plant was widely used to reduce the fatigue of people doing physical labor. People who take garlic could do exercise longer without feeling fatigued.

15.  Improves the tone of the skin: This plant is very effective for increasing the tone of the skin. It is a superfood since it has many beneficial properties. These properties add up to big benefits for your skin.

This tasty, fragrant vegetable does more than make your dishes delicious. It has so many health and medical uses that it is itself a pharmacy. Almost in every culture, its medicinal properties have been given due reverence. Even today, the modern medical system admits its curative and preventive properties.