Allium sativum.   suàn   Garlic   Family: Liliaceae   
Garlic has been known to the Chinese from a very early period; it being mentioned in the Calendar of the Hsia, a book of two thousand years before Christ.
PART USED: Bulbs
Nature- warm    FLAVOR: Acrid./Pungent.     CHANNEL: Spleen, Stomach, Lung
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Antihelminthics- Regulating Qi
1. Warms the Spleen & Stomach.[1,2,3,4] Promotes Energy circulation.[4]
2. Removes stasis in the intestines. Removing mass in the abdomen.  Cleanses the intestines. Clearing away toxic materials.[6] Prevent goitre and pestilential diseases.[6]
3. Heal inflammation, act as antibacterial agent.
4. Sedative.[6]
INDICATIONS
1. Prevention of Flu. Colds and blocked nose. Tuberculosis associated coughing. Whooping cough.[4,5]
2. Diarrhea,[4,5] and dysentery.[4] Bacterial dysentery. Enteritis. Amebic dysentery.
3. Cold sensation and pain in the abdomen.[4] Edema.[4,5] Boils and pyogenic infections, tinea and snake and insect bites.[1,2,3]
4. Acariasis caused abdominal pain.
5. Indigestion.[5] Used to treat retention of food in the Stomach.
6. Ringworm.
7. Boils and abscesses.[5] Boils and pyogenic infections. Carbuncles.
8. Eat garlic cloves regularly to prevent bacillary dysentery.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Yin deficiency manifesting as abundant fire, or eye diseases, throat and teeth and tongue diseases, recovering from an illness.[2,3] Sore throat. [4]
 Excessive eating will cause Heat and irritation to some part of the body,[3] -particularly the stomach and liver.[4]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction 3-9 g or 1-3 bulbs. Can be chewed and swallowed.[1] It can also be pounded to get its juice for external application to the affected part, or sliced for moxibustion at acupuncture points.[3]
- Amebic dysentery- Eat 1-3 fresh garlic cloves each day by dividing them into 3 dosages for 5-10 consecutive days.[2,4]
- Itch in the genital region for women- Boil a few garlic cloves and use the liquid to wash the genital region.[4]
- Chronic cold sensations, particularly in women- Crush a few garlic cloves to mix with mustard poweder and eat it with rice wine. Or, boil a few garlic cloved in water and drink it as tea. If wine is desired, mark garlic wine: Simply cut up a garlic clove in large pieces, drop into a small bottle of wine; put away for 1 month and it is read to drink as a wine tonic.[4]
- Whooping cough in children- Take 2 teaspoons of 10 to 20% garlic solution every 2 hours (mixed with some sryup or orange tincutre to make it more appetizing).[4]
- Prevent bacillary dysentery when it is widespread- Eat garlic cloves regularly.[4]
- Pain caused by insect bite (such as a bee sting) as an emergency proceedure- Cut up a garlic clove and use the juicy slice to rub the skin.[4]

NOTES: In the northern provinces of China, chinese people carry some garlic with them whil on a long journey, just in case they have to drink wate from mountains or rivers. To prevent bad effects, they chew a garlic clove like chewing gum and spit it out before drinking water.[4]

HABITAT: Found growing wild in the shade under trees on the mountains. Widely cultivated.
DESCRIPTION: A perennial herb. Subterranean globular corm covered by thin purplish-black film. Leaves; clustered 4-5 linear or fleshy, margins intact. Blooms in summer, flower pedicel extending from leaf cluster after leaves have withered, supporting bright red flowers forming an umbellate inflorescence. Capsule; oval shaped.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Constituents.

Constituents.

Research.
The antibiotic effects are normally attributed to the action of allicin, which has been shown to be actin in vtro against Candida albicans, Trichomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherischia coli.[1]
Allicin and allylpropyldisulphide are hypoglycaemic in humans and animals.[2,3] However garlic also contains hperglycaemic compounds.[3] It has been suggeste that the active hypoglycaemic compounds have an insulin-sparing effect due to the thiol groups competing for insulin with the inactivating compounds.[4]
It is also hypolipiaemic.[5,6] One of the main fields of interest is the antithrombotic activity of garlic. Extracts have been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation.[7] This has now known to be due at least in part to ajoene, which is a potent antithrombotic agent,[8] as well as the less potent 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithin.[8]

References
[1] Kabelik, J. (1970) Pharmazie 25, 266
[2] Jain, R. C. and Vyas, C. R. (1974) Brit. Med. J. 2. 730
[3] Brahmachari, M. D. and Augusti, K. T. (1962) J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 14, 254 and 617
[4] Augusti, K. T. and Henaim, M. E. (1974) Clin. Chim. Acta 60, 121
[5] Chaudhuri, B. N. et al. (1984) Biomed. Biochim. Acta 41 (7), 1045
[6] Schoetan, A. et al. (1984) Experimentia 40 (3), 261
[7] Wenkert, E. et al. (1971) Experientia 28, 377
[8] Block, E. et al. (1984) J. Am Chem. Soc. 106, 8295
[9] Apitz-Castro, R. et al. (1983) Thromb. Red. 32, 155

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and cardiovascular diseases.
Ginter E, Simko V.
Abstract
Garlic is an important component in the complementary and alternative medicine. Large segments of population believe in and utilize herbal products even when these have not been as thoroughly researched as garlic. Experimental and clinical studies confirm that the ancient experience with beneficial effects of garlic holds validity even in prevention of cardiovascular disorders and other metabolic ills. Most recent data published after year 2000 convincingly point out that garlic and its various forms reduce cardiovascular risk, including abnormal plasma lipids, oxidized low density lipoproteins (LDL), abnormal platelet aggregation and a high blood pressure. Stimulation of nitric oxide generation in endothelial cells seems to be the critical preventive mechanism. Garlic may promote an anti-inflammatory environment by cytokine modulation in human blood. Cardioprotective effects of dietary garlic are mediated in large part via the generation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Garlic-derived organic polysulfides are converted by erythrocytes into hydrogen sulfide which relaxes vascular smooth muscle, induces vasodilation of blood vessels, and significantly reduces blood pressure. There are data on potential ability of garlic to inhibit the rate of progression of coronary calcification. Garlic as a dietary component appears to hold promise to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (Fig. 2, Ref. 46).
PMID: 21033626  Bratisl Lek Listy. 2010;111(8):452-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Potential of garlic (Allium sativum) in lowering high blood pressure: mechanisms of action and clinical relevance
Karin Ried and Peter Fakler
Abstract
Garlic supplements have shown promise in the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension, lowering blood pressure (BP) by about 10 mmHg systolic and 8 mmHg diastolic, similar to standard BP medication. Aged garlic extract, which contains S-allylcysteine as the bioactive sulfur compound, in particular is standardizable and highly tolerable, with little or no known harmful interaction when taken with other BP-reducing or blood-thinning medication. Here we describe biologically plausible mechanisms of garlic’s BP-lowering effect. Garlic-derived polysulfides stimulate the production of the vascular gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and enhance the regulation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO), which induce smooth muscle cell relaxation, vasodilation, and BP reduction. Several dietary and genetic factors influence the efficiency of the H2S and NO signaling pathways and may contribute to the development of hypertension. Sulfur deficiency might play a part in the etiology of hypertension, and could be alleviated with supplementation of organosulfur compounds derived from garlic. Integr Blood Press Control. 2014; 7: 71–82.
Published online 2014 Dec 9. doi: 10.2147/IBPC.S51434
PMCID: PMC4266250 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Allium sativum (garlic)--a natural antibiotic.
Adetumbi MA, Lau BH.
Abstract
Allium sativum (garlic) has been recognized not only as a spice but also as a substance which exerts a control on microorganisms. Recent publications indicate that garlic extract has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against many genera of bacteria and fungi. The active component (allicin) has been isolated and characterized. Because many of the microorganisms susceptible to garlic extract are medically significant, garlic holds a promising position as a broad-spectrum therapeutic agent. Furthermore, garlic plants may also play an important role in the ecological control of pathogenic microorganisms in nature.
PMID: 6366484 Med Hypotheses. 1983 Nov;12(3):227-37. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antimicrobial effect of garlic (Allium sativum).
Goncagul G, Ayaz E.
Abstract
Medicinal plants like pumpkin seed, thyme, onion, Nigella sativa, lemon balm, and stinging nettle are used extensively today. One of these plants used most intensively and widespread is garlic. In this context, fresh shape, powder state and oil of garlic have been used all around the world, especially in Far East for centuries. It is scientifically proven that garlic is effectively used in cardiovascular diseases as a regulator of blood pressure, with dropper effects on glycaemia and high blood cholesterol, against bacterial, viral, mycotic and parasitic infections. It's also known that garlic is a wonderful plant having the properties of empowering immune system, anti-tumour and antioxidant effects. In this article, the summary of properties of garlic and its use against bacterial diseases is given. This article is a short review of recent patents on antimicrobial effect of garlic.
PMID: 19929845  Recent Pat Antiinfect Drug Discov. 2010 Jan;5(1):91-3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The antiatherosclerotic effect of Allium sativum.
Koscielny J1, Klüssendorf D, Latza R, Schmitt R, Radtke H, Siegel G, Kiesewetter H.
Abstract
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the plaque volumes in both carotid and femoral arteries of 152 probationers were determined by B-mode ultrasound. Continuous intake of high-dose garlic powder dragees reduced significantly the increase in arteriosclerotic plaque volume by 5-18% or even effected a slight regression within the observational period of 48 months. Also the age-dependent representation of the plaque volume shows an increase between 50 and 80 years that is diminished under garlic treatment by 6-13% related to 4 years. It seems even more important that with garlic application the plaque volume in the whole collective remained practically constant within the age-span of 50-80 years. These results substantiated that not only a preventive but possibly also a curative role in arteriosclerosis therapy (plaque regression) may be ascribed to garlic remedies.Atherosclerosis. 1999 May;144(1):237-49. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Allium sativum (garlic) on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.
Ashraf R, Khan RA, Ashraf I, Qureshi AA.
Abstract
The present study evaluated the effects of garlic on blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Patients (n=210) with stage 1 essential hypertension were divided into 7 groups named as A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Each group comprised of 30 patients. Each patient in group A, B, C, D and E has received garlic tablets at the dose of 300/mg. 600/mg, 900/mg, 1200/mg and 1500/mg in divided doses per day respectively for 24 weeks while Group F & group G were given tablet atenolol and placebo respectively. Blood pressure readings were recorded at weeks 0, 12 and 24. Present study showed significant decrease in both Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure in both dose and duration dependent manner. In each garlic treated group, significant reduction in SBP and DBP (p<0.005) were observed when compared with atenolol (P<0.005) and placebo.Pak J Pharm Sci. 2013 Sep;26(5):859-63. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Allium sativum: facts and myths regarding human health.
Majewski M.
Abstract
Garlic (Allium sativum L. fam. Alliaceae) is one of the most researched and best-selling herbal products on the market. For centuries it was used as a traditional remedy for most health-related disorders. Also, it is widely used as a food ingredient--spice and aphrodisiac. Garlic's properties result from a combination of variety biologically active substances which all together are responsible for its curative effect. The compounds contained in garlic synergistically influence each other so that they can have different effects. The active ingredients of garlic include enzymes (e.g. alliinase), sulfur-containing compounds such as alliin and compounds produced enzymatically from alliin (e.g. allicin). There is a lot of variation among garlic products sold for medicinal purposes. The concentration of Allicin (main active ingredient) and the source of garlic's distinctive odor depend on processing method. Allicin is unstable, and changes into a different chemicals rather quickly. It's documented that products obtained even without allicin such as aged garlic extract (AGE), have a clear and significant biological effect in immune system improvement, treatment of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, liver and other areas. Some products have a coating (enteric coating) to protect them against attack by stomach acids. Clinically, garlic has been evaluated for a number of purposes, including treatment of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cold or the prevention of atherosclerosis and the development of tumors. Many available publications indicates possible antibacterial, anti-hypertensive and anti-thrombotic properties of garlic. Due to the chemical complexity of garlic and the use of different processing methods we obtain formulations with varying degrees of efficacy and safety.Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2014;65(1):1-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov