In its wild form, garlic grows in India and Arabia. An ancient cultivated plant. It is cultivated in Asia, Europe, America as a vegetable crop and almost all over the former USSR and other countries.
Garlic is used in phytotherapy and for cooking. Bulb and above-ground parts of the plant are used.
Chemical composition and properties of garlic
Garlic contains essential oil of complex composition. The specific odor of essential oil is characteristic mainly of its constituent part - diallyldisulfide The properties of garlic also include alliin and allicin - an oily liquid with garlic odor, containing sulfur. Garlic phytoncides have volatile and non-volatile fractions, soluble in water and alcohol, have a strong antibiotic property.
Useful properties of garlic: phytosterol, B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin D, iodine, inulin, pentosans, fats, polysaccharides, fiber and other substances.
The effects and uses of garlic
Due to the presence of phytoncides, garlic has a strong bactericidal action. It was found that the volatile fractions emitted from the crushed garlic tissue have a toxic effect on yeast fungi, killing the yeast culture located a few centimeters from the surface of the porridge. The use of garlic is recommended to eliminate various types of germs from the body. Properties of garlic inhibit the reproduction of bacteria, lower fungi and microorganisms, have a bactericidal effect on diphtheria bacilli, tuberculosis mycobacteria, staphylococci, streptococci and on the causative agents of dysentery. The greatest activity of garlic phytoncides is noted in the spring time, by the fall it decreases.
In medical practice, the use of garlic is recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: with intestinal atony, colitis, enteritis, dysentery, flatulence, to suppress the processes of putrefaction, the development of putrefactive bacteria, promoting the development of beneficial intestinal flora, as an anthelmintic, as well as for the treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis and other diseases. Externally, a porridge of fresh garlic bulbs is used to treat hard-to-heal wounds, runny nose, trichomonad colpitis, etc.
There are indications that the properties of garlic lower the growth energy of cancer cells.
In Chinese medicine, even in ancient times, garlic was among the most valuable remedies. The use of garlic has a tonic effect in various diseases, such as digestive, respiratory, exhaustion, rheumatism, skin diseases and called it "rebuilding". Chinese doctors use garlic as an antitoxic, digestive-improving, expectorant, diuretic, and anthelmintic. They prescribe it for plague, cholera, febrile diseases, amenorrhea, and avitaminosis. Externally - for scaly rash, pyoderma, alopecia, insect bites, etc. Inside apply bulb in fresh form, 2-8 g per reception (in respiratory diseases), in the form of decoction or sugar syrup. Externally - in the form of porridge and aqueous infusion.
In an experiment, garlic preparations lowered blood pressure in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis. On isolated organs, intravenous administration increases the amplitude of heart contractions, slows the heart rhythm, dilates coronary and peripheral vessels, increases diuresis.
When the flu take 2-4 finely chopped garlic cloves at night for 2 days in a row, followed by a 2-day break (C. А. Tomilin).
In domestic folk medicine has long been the use of garlic healers recommended for gastrointestinal diseases, hypertension, influenza, sore throat, malaria, spleen disease, as a diuretic, antizyngotnoe, skin diseases and as a prophylactic agent. Externally in the form of mustard for headaches, in the form of ointment or juice for warts, calluses, rotten, long non-healing wounds, snake bites, scorpion bites, etc. д.
"Garlic is esteemed a universal preventive medicine against poison, snakebite, clinging and contagious diseases, and most especially against the plague" (P. О. Yengalychev, 1848).
Garlic is widely recommended by us in atherosclerosis, hypertension (2-3 cloves a day), with influenza and as an anthelmintic in combination with garlic enemas..
