Garlic and other culinary herbs with medicinal properties have seen a resurgence in popularity. With respect to garlic, some researchers have said a clove of garlic a day can help fight off infections, prevent cardiovascular disease, and prevent some cancers. Following is a quick sample of some of the research.
Garlic and Cholesterol
In a Newswise press release on February 22, 2007, pointed to research findings that garlic use did not significantly reduce bad cholesterol. "Three forms of garlic-including raw garlic and two types of commercial garlic supplements-did not significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol during a six-month trial, according to results published in the February 26, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine one of the American Medical Association (JAMA)/Archives journals.
Garlic Efficacy Against Cancer and Heart Disease
In a March 2006 Newswise press release - garlic recognized for its healing powers in ancient times, now being rediscovered by medical scientists who have new evidence of its efficacy against cancer and heart disease.
Dr. Richard Rivlin, of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, believed that while much promising research has been made pointing to the disease-preventive and therapeutic effects of garlic, at the present time, it should be considered complementary medicine, not alternative therapy. "The rapid pace of advances in garlic research provides increasing evidence that garlic has significant potential as a complement to established therapies."
Dr. Rivlin was a guest co-editor of a special March 2006 peer-reviewed supplemental issue to the Journal of Nutrition. The issue comprised 35 articles representing the latest research on garlic -- findings that were first presented at a symposium held in 2005 at Georgetown University.
Garlic Promising Effective Therapy Against Bacteria
Other research on the medicinal uses for garlic may have promising effects fighting bacteria in combination with other therapies. Research at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands pointed out the combination of the drug, omeprazole, a gastric acid inhibitor, and garlic may be a promising effective therapy against Helicobacter pylori infection without the use of antibiotics, according to investigators.
The bacterium -- Helicobacter pylori, which can be found in the human stomach and is associated with gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastric lymphoma and gastric cancer.
Helicobacter pylori infection is usually treated with a combination of the gastric acid inhibitor omeprazole and two antibiotics. However, resistance of H. pylori for the antibiotics used is increasing.
The Netherlands research indicated people who consumed vegetables containing Allium - the active compound in garlic, had a lower risk of gastric cancer than people who hardly consumed any of these vegetables.
Garlic a Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Agent
Garlic is considered one of nature's strongest, most complex, broad-spectrum antibacterial agents. Previous studies have demonstrated the active compound Allium in garlic kills or inhibits large number of infectious bacteria that spread diarrhea, dysentery, and other diseases.
Researchers indicate when both garlic and the drug, omeprazole were tested together, the antibacterial effect was stronger than if either substance was tested alone. The experiments in this study were performed twice with four different clinical strains of H. pylori.
The findings were the same in all experiments. The concentrations of garlic required to inhibit growth of H. pylori were rather low, so that, theoretically an antibacterial effect of garlic in the stomach by consumption of fresh garlic or garlic tablets seems possible. Some experts have suggested garlic loses its antibiotic properties when you cook or dry it.
Still, garlic is one of the top-selling dietary supplements in the United States according to a report in Herbal Gram.
