 |
|
Latin Name |
Allium sativum |
| English Name |
Garlic |
| Hindi Name |
Lahsuna |
| Part Used |
Bulb |
Garlic bulb is used as
medicinal spice or herb since the creation of a mankind – consists of
numerous "bulb lets" or individual cloves grouped together and enclosed
in a thin white skin. It is Cultivated throughout the world, Native to
Mediterranean regions of Europe & Africa, Origin in central Asia, used
extensively in Italian & Greek dishes. Steamed distillation of crushed
fresh bulbs yields 0.1-3.6% of a volatile oil.
1Garlic
reduces the blood sugar levels.In rabbits with mild alloxan diabetes
orally given garlic extract exhibited hypoglycemic activity comparable to
that of tolutamide. It improves the glucose tolerance significantly and
increase serum insulin. Garlic is an effective long term preventive
treatment for all rheumatic and catarrhal conditions. It produces
anti-inflammatory activity against formalin induced arthritis in albino
rats. A concentrate containing the active principle, allicin and allinase
proved effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Garlic juice
containing allicin has been used in the laboratory experiments to stop the
growth of cancer in mice.
2Ajoene is
one of the main compounds formed from heating crushed garlic as a mixture
of E- and Zisomers (E- and Z-4,5,9-trithiadodeca-1,6,11-triene 9-oxide).
Ajoene possesses a broad spectrum of biological activities that include
anticancer activity. 3A study shows Potential of garlic and its active
constituent, S-allyl cysteine, as antihypertensive and cardioprotective in
presence of captopril (hypertensive medicine). 4Results of a study suggest
that aged garlic extract is potentially protective against
doxorubicininduced cardiotoxicity. |
