Garlic

[Nutritional Advisers Product Information]

History

Sanskrit and Chinese records reporting on the use of garlic date back 5000 and 3000 years respectively. An Egyptian medical papyrus going back to 1550 B. C. mentions garlic as a remedy in a number of ailments including headache, bites, worms and tumours. Albert Schweitzer used garlic in Africa for the treatment of amoebic dysentery and as an antiseptic against gangrene during World Wars I and II. (1-3)

Common uses of garlic

Garlic preparations are commonly available in retail outlets and are mostly taken for their reported beneficial effects on immune function and nutritional support for the cardiovascular system. Indeed epidemiological studies indicate an inverse relationship between garlic consumption and certain types of cancer as well as heart, as will be outlined below.

Active components of garlic

Garlic contains various active components, which exert different effects on the body. A volatile oil composed of sulphur-containing compounds, such as allicin, diallyl disulphide and diallyl trisulphide is generally considered to be responsible for most of the pharmacological properties of garlic.

In addition garlic contains alliin, protein, trace minerals including selenium, vitamins and the enzyme allinase.

The odoriferous element of garlic is due to allicin, a compound that is created as the result of the action of the enzyme alliinase on alliin. As cooking deactivates alliinase, raw garlic is physiologically more potent. (1,4)

With not many people willing to eat raw garlic, a food supplement giving all the benefits of raw garlic is ideal. Wassen Garlic delayed diffusion tablets don't dissolve until they have reached the intestine, thus minimising the odour on the breath, often associated with garlic consumption.

Benefits attributed to Garlic

Cardiovascular System

I. Cholesterol Lowering Activity

In animal studies the hypocholesterolaemic activity has been attributed to diallyl disulphide, a decomposition product of allicin. Various human studies outline the beneficial effect of garlic on serum lipids by reducing serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, low density lipoprotein and improving the low density lipoprotein/high density lipoprotein ratio. (5,6,7) Epidemiological studies in India have associated low total serum triglycerides with regular consumption of garlic and onion. (5)

II. Antithrombotic Activity

Garlic has been shown to lower fibrinogen concentration, decrease blood coagulation time, increase fibrinolytic activity and therefore reduce the risk of thrombosis. (6, 8,9,10) An epidemiological study has shown a positive correlation between fibrinolysis activity and the recorded garlic consumption. (7) Garlic is thought to contain more than one inhibitor of platelet aggregation and release, however, allicin is considered to be the major inhibitor. (11)

III. Hypotensive Activity

Not many studies have been documented with regard to garlic and its ability to lower blood pressure. Certain studies using powdered garlic (dose equivalent of 1.8-2.7 g fresh garlic) reported a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (10) Reductions that reached an average of 12-30 mmHg systolic blood pressure and 7-20 mmHg diastolic blood pressure have been described for patients with essential hypertension who regularly ingest garlic. (7)

Immune System

I. Antimicrobial Activity

Garlic inhibits activity of a whole range of bacteria, including Staphylococcus, Salmonella and Escherichia. (12) Garlic appears to adversely affect bacterial cell growth by primarily inhibiting RNA synthesis. (13)

II. Antifungal Activity

Broad spectrum activity has been documented for garlic against fungi including the genera Trichosporon, Microsporum and Candida albicans. (12) Garlic extract has been reported as more effective than nystatin against pathogenic yeasts, especially against Candida albicans. (12) The anticandidal activity of garlic has been attributed to its inhibition of lipid synthesis which is probably due to a disulphide-containing component, such as allicin. (14)

III. Antiviral Activity

Allicin or an allicin derivative has been linked to antiviral activity against parainfluenza type 3, Herpes simplex type I and Influenza B. (15,16)

VI. Anticancer effects

In China, a study comparing populations in different regions found that death from gastric cancer in regions where garlic consumption was high was significantly less than in regions with lower garlic consumption. (18)

General

I. Hypoglycaemic Activity

A reduction in blood-sugar concentrations and an increase in insulin have been observed following the administration of allyl propyl disulphide, an active component of garlic. (7)

II. Antihepatoxic Activity

In vivo and in vitro studies have reported a protective effect of garlic on the liver. The constituents of garlic tested were alliin, S-allylmercapto-cysteine and S-methylmercapto-cysteine in carbon tetrachloride and galactosamine induced hepatotoxicity. (17)

Conclusion

Wassen garlic tablets provide the equivalent of 960 mcg of fresh garlic. Each tablet contains 320 mg of Chinese garlic granules providing 3.5 mg of alliin and a minimum of 1610 mg of allicin, which is guaranteed throughout the shelf-life of the tablet. Wassen garlic tablets at a dose of 1-2 tablets per day depending on requirements, may be a simple addition to a wider prophylactic health programme.

References:

1. Leung A., Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980, pp 176-178

2. Raj K.P. and Parmar R. M., Garlic-condiment and medicine, Indian Drugs, 15, pp 205-210, 1977

3. Block E. The chemistry of garlic and onions, Sci. Am., March 1985, pp 114-118

4. M. T. Murray, The Healing Power of Herbs, Prima Publishing, 1995, pp 121-122

5. Lau B.H.S. et al., allium sativum (garlic) and atherosclerosis: a review, Nutr. Res., 1983, 3, pp 199-28

6. Fulder S., Garlic and the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Cardiology in Practice, 1989, 7, pp 30-35

7. 7.Ernst E., Cardiovascular effects of garlic (Allium sativum): a review, Pharmatherapeutica, 1987, 5, pp 83-89

8. Boullin D. J., Garlic as a platelet inhibitor, Lancet, 1981, i, pp 776-7

9. Gaffen J. D. et al., The effect of garlic extracts on contractions of rat gastric fundus and human platelet aggregation. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 1984, 36, pp 272-4

10. Symposium on the chemistry, pharmacology and medical applicationsof garlic, Cardiology In Practice, 1989, 7, pp 1-15

11. Mohammed S. F., Woodward S. C., Characterization of a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation and release reaction isolated from Allium sativum (garlic) Thromb Res, 1986, 44, pp 793-806

12. Adetumbi M. Lau B. H. S., Allium sativum (garlic) - a natural antibiotic, Med Hypoth. 1983, 12, pp 227-37

13. Feldberg R. S. et al., In vitro mechanism of inhibition of bacterial cell growth by allicin, Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988, 32, pp 1763-8

14. Adetumbi M. et al., Allium sativum (garlic) inhibits lipid synthesis by Candida albicans, Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986, 30, pp 499-501

15. Hughes B. G. et al., Antiviral constituents from Allium sativum, Planta Med, 1989, 55, 114

16. Tsai Y et al., Antiviral properties of garlic: In vitro effects on influenza B., Herpes simplex and Coxsackie viruses, Planta Med, 1985, 51, pp 460-1

17. Hikino H. et al., Antihepatotoxic actions of Allium sativum bulbs, Planta Med., 1986, 52, 163-8

18. You W. C. et al., Allium vegetables and reduced risk of stomach cancer, J Natl Cancer Inst, 1989, 81, pp 162-164