Family Liliaceae – Liliaceae

Description of the medicinal plant garlic

Perennial herb. Onion ovata, consisting of 7-30 small cloves covered with white, pink or purple scales. Stem straight, to 50 cm in height, hollow, half covered with oblong stipules. Linear leaves, flat, width up to 1 cm, bent from the middle at an obtuse angle. Flowers are few, form an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. Numerous small bulbs sit between the pedicels. Perianths 6, oblong, pale purple or whitish color. The fruit is a round, three-locular capsule. Black Seeds, triangular. Blooms in June–August.

Garlic Spread. Widely grown as a garden crop. The cultivated species comes from Central Asia.

Used authorities – bulbs.

Content of substances in garlic

Garlic contains essential oil (0,10 to 0,36%) with main components: diallyl-disulfide (60%); diallyltrisulfide (20%), diallyltetrasulfide (10%), allylpropyldisulfide (6%).

When extracted by the enzyme alliinase from the alliin contained in garlic (allylcis-teinsulfoxide) get connection, having strong antimicrobial activity - allicin. Allicin is soluble in water and is what determines the specific smell of garlic.. Other components of garlic: of scordini (thioglycoside), vitamins and, C and group B, enzymes, traces of iodine and inulin-type polysaccharides.

The main medicinal effect of garlic

For the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, as an adjuvant in the treatment of hypertension, for infectious enterocolitis.

Experimental and clinical data on the effects of garlic

Garlic is a widely used medicinal plant against a large number of diseases in folk medicine of all nations.. Experimental and clinical studies of the authors confirmed the medicinal properties of garlic described in folk medicine. Newer studies relate mainly to the antiatheromatous and anti-infective effects of garlic.

Experiments have shown, that garlic prevents the development of high levels of experimental hypercholesterolemia; rabbits, who received garlic and were on an atherogenic diet, atheromatous plaques were less pronounced; Garlic-derived drugs lower blood pressure.

The hypotensive effect of garlic is confirmed clinically – established in a clinical experiment, what is fresh garlic juice, as well as an equivalent amount of its essential oil extracted with ether, have a statistically significant protective effect against those caused by the consumption of large amounts of food (100 g per day) oils increase serum cholesterol and plasma fibrinogen, as well as against reducing blood clotting time and reducing fibrinolytic activity. The described effects of garlic are stronger in comparison with the same effects of onions. It was established on large clinical material, that in patients with hyperlipidemia, garlic causes a decrease in cholesterol levels, triglycerides and total lipids; high reliability of normalization of pathological lipidograms under the influence of garlic has been established.

Many scientists have confirmed the antiatheromatous effect of garlic.

Other, An important effect of garlic is its strong antimicrobial effect. Studies have shown, that garlic is one of the plants, richest in phytoncides, allicin and harlicin, substances of an antibiotic nature, began to be isolated from it. IN 1948 the strong bactericidal effect of garlic against Vibrio cholerae was established. Garlic juice and ordinary aqueous extract from garlic are characterized by a strong antimicrobial effect against many intestinal pathogenic microorganisms (dysentery, typhoid, pathogenic coli bacteria, enterococci), as well as against Staphylococcus aureus and alpha-hemolytic streptococci. A number of authors also provide convincing data regarding the anti-infectious effect of garlic and drugs derived from it.

Some studies indicate a mild hypoglycemic effect of garlic. First of all, it was experimentally proven, that garlic has an antithyroid effect. The results of these studies were later confirmed.

In small quantities, garlic enhances intestinal motility, and in large cases it suppresses intestinal tone and peristalsis.

The long-known antihelminthic effect of garlic has been confirmed experimentally and clinically. As in animal experiments, so do people, at risk or already affected by lead intoxication, found, that garlic is an effective remedy for the prevention and treatment of chronic lead poisoning.

Experiments on piglets and calves have proven the stimulating effect of garlic on their growth..

Experimentally and clinically proven multifaceted therapeutic and preventive effects of garlic, as well as rich experience in using it in folk medicine - are the reason for the production in many countries of a large number of medicinal preparations from garlic alone or from garlic in combination with other medicinal plants.

Garlic heads are used for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, for hypertension (as an adjuvant to modern drug therapy or during periods, when medication is not temporarily treated), for infectious intestinal diseases, as with chronic purulent bronchitis and bronchiectasis (most of the active volatile components of garlic, having antimicrobial action, excreted from the body through the lungs).

Garlic is used to stimulate appetite and regulate intestinal motility.. Good results have been observed in the treatment of some patients with colitis with garlic., enteritis, meteorizmom, intestinal atony. Destroying pathogenic microorganisms, garlic simultaneously promotes the development of beneficial intestinal flora. Thanks to its action stimulating the secretion of gastric bile juice, digestion is improved..

Method of using garlic in folk medicine

• The most common way to use garlic is to take it with dinner. 1 /2 up to one head of garlic (peeled slices) - best with yogurt;
• Homemade garlic tincture is widely used.: 250 g garlic bulbs, peeled, grind and pour a liter of vodka, withstand for 14 days at 30°C. Seal the bottle well, fill the cork with wax (so that no air gets in) and keep in the sun or warm place. Shake several times a day. Through 14 days, strain the contents of the bottle through a gauze napkin. The tincture prepared in this way can be stored for one year.;
  • During influenza epidemics, dyzenteryy, intestinal infectious diseases, drink 10-15 drops of tincture before each meal. If you suffer from the diseases mentioned above, you must additionally take 20 drops in the hours before and after lunch.
  • The same tincture is recommended to be taken for bronchitis.. For bronchitis and colds, it is recommended to mix crushed garlic with diluted honey - after an hour or two, take a teaspoon of this mixture;
• Except as a tincture, in atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, ʙronxitax, bronchiectasias, Garlic can also be used in the following ways: peeled and chopped garlic cloves (one head) mix with a glass of curdled milk, keep for one night and drink in two or three doses the next day;
• As an anthelmintic (mainly against oxygen) garlic is also used for enemas: 10 g peeled cloves, add gradually while stirring 100 g boiling water or fresh milk and after cooling, strain. Use the resulting liquid for 2 enemas;
• To prevent the flu, place a crushed clove of garlic on a cotton swab into your nose..