GARLIC

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Medicinal Uses

allergies

asthma

athlete's foot

ringworm

bronchitis

burns

cancer prevention

candida/ yeast

cardiovascular

high cholesterol

high blood pressure

Historical garlic was recommended for antiseptic uses, an antidote for poisonous bites, a cough suppressant, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, athlete’s foot, colds, influenza, intestinal parasites, ulcers, bronchitis, many forms of cancer, dandruff, arteriosclerosis, skin infections, cholera, constipation, epilepsy, gangrene, ear infections, high blood pressure, laryngitis, heavy-metal poisoning, leprosy, malaria, measles, meningitis, hemorrhoids, ringworm, scurvy, food poisoning, smallpox, snakebite, tuberculosis, and typhoid. It is considered a good carminative for digestive problems and an excellent treatment for diarrhea, especially when due to bacterial, fungal or viral infections. Its expectorant actions help to cleanse the body of excessive mucus and catarrh.

Dr. Tariq Abdullah, a prominent garlic researcher, stated in the August 1987 issue of Prevention magazine that “garlic has the broadest spectrum of any antimicrobial substance that we know of” (6). Studies have demonstrated garlics antibiotic activity against E coli, MRSA, and Salmonella in alcohol, oil, and water extracts (1). Garlic is mentioned 23 times in the Materia Medica specifically in regard to its role of cleaning the artery walls.

Topically, the essential oil of garlic or a slice of fresh, pressed garlic on hyperkeratotic areas, especially plantar warts and calluses. It is recommended to protect surrounding areas with Vaseline to prevent skin irritation. Apply to vaginal ovules (vaginal candidiasis) with 500 mg dry extract / ovule every night (Peris, 1995).

Also used as a preventative measure against age-dependent vascular changes.

colds & flu

ear infections

yeast infections

herpes/ cold sores

insect repellent

insect bites

nutrition

parasites

sinus

sore throat

spring tonics

stop smoking

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Constituents

Volatile oil (sulfur containing compounds) sulfoxides; ajoene, alliin, allicin, diallyl sulfide & thiocyanates
Enzymes: allinase
Also contains: Mucilage, enzymes, albumin, lipids, amino acids like tryptophan, vitamins A, C, B1 and B2, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, sulfur, calcium, chlorine, phosphorous, iodine, sodium, potassium, and selenium (ACHS, 2019).
Lectins lectin-allinase complexes
Citral, geraniol, linalool, phellandrene, s-methyl-1-cysteine sulfoxide
The substance allicin is said to have antibacterial action equivalent to 1% penicillin (ACHS, 2019).

Energetics

Warm, bitter

Contraindictions

Disulfides and allyl alcohols are potentially toxic. These substances can reduce iodine uptake by the thyroid (ACHS, 2019).
Large doses of garlic oil can be neuro-depressive.
Can cause a skin rash in sensitive people.
Over consumption can cause heartburn and gas.
Side effects also include breath and body odor.
Some people have allergic reactions to garlic.
Garlic has been found to interfere with the effectiveness of some drugs.
Garlic is a powerful medicine that stimulates the nervous system and should not be taken everyday.
Garlic should be discontinued a week or two before undergoing surgery or child birth because of their potential to increase blood flow and bleeding.
Do not take with other blood thinners.
If you are taking insulin consult your doctor.
The pure essential oil can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, diaphoresis, menorrhagia and spinal epidural hematoma.
Shown to interrupt some HIV/ AIDS medications.
Use cautiously with cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, fluorxacina, ketoconazole, paroxetine, imipramine, phenytoin and propranolol.
Garlic metabolizes estrogen which has casued some concern about whether it could interrupt the effectiveness of birth control.
It can also cause burns to the skin so it must not be applied for long periods of time or pressed tightly to the skin.
Uterine stimulation has been shown in animals, and it has a reputation as a potential abortifacient.[Farnsworth, 1975]

History

Garlic was a well respected antidote during the black plague. Maud Grieve. "A Modern Herbal" Harcourt, (1931)
Garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths.
Spiritually, garlic was prized as a protective agent. It was one of several plants in ancient Greece that was worn to guard against illness and negative energies, including theft and possession by evil spirits and is associated with warding off vampire.
In the east it's use was prohibited by monks, children and married women because it was considered an aphrodisiac.
Both sailors and soldiers were known to wear protective cloves, both for spiritual protection and in case of sickness (8).
Cloves of garlic were also found in King Tut's tomb.
And there is even a story that when Satan left the garden, from his left footprint grew garlic and from his right footprint, onion grew. An yet another story that garlic arose from the blood of Satan.

Dosage

Adult: All doses are 3-4 times a day unless stated otherwise:

Fresh bulb (chopped): 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon depending on tolerance

Juice: ½-1 t or 1-3 ml

Essential oil: 1-2 drops

Syrup: ½-2 t or 2-10 ml

Tincture: ½-2 t or 2-10 ml

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Formula

When the plague ravaged the city of Marseilles in the seventeenth century, it is said that a fortunate lot of grave robbers and thieves escaped what would have been inevitable illness and subsequent death by covering their bodies and face masks with a garlic based vinegar with strong antibacterial and antiviral properties called "Four Thieves".

Research

Farnsworth NR. (1975) Potential value of plants as sources of new antifertility agents I Jnl Pharm Sci; 64: 535-598.

Kshirsagar, M., et al (2018). Antibacterial activity of garlic extract on cariogenic bacteria: An in vitro study. AYU: An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda, 39(3), 165–168. https://doi.org/10.4103/ayu.AYU_193_16

Mahdavi-Roshan, M., et al. (2017). Effects of garlic on brachial endothelial function and capacity of plasma to mediate cholesterol efflux in patients with coronary artery disease. The Anatolian Journal of Cardiology. 18. 10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2017.7669.

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Proper Use

It is widely believed that to maximize the health benefits, you should crush the garlic at room temperature and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes which triggers an enzyme reaction, increasing the healthy compounds in the garlic. But some research suggests that the most beneficial compounds are only available the instance you cut into or bite into the garlic.

To preserve the antimicrobial activity of garlic when cooking, mix it into cooked foods at the last minute and do not expose the garlic to heat for an extended period.
Alternatively, crush garlic and mixed with a spoonful of raw honey to ingest.
A tincture can be made my mixing 1 part crushed garlic with 2 parts vodka. Let stand at room temperature for 2-6 weeks then filter. Take a teaspoon up to 4 times per day to treat a cold. Or preventatively during cold season.
Store garlic in a cool, dry, dark place with no moisture. And never store in the refrigerator.
Garlic and it's close relatives, chives, leeks and onions can be applied directly to burns in a poultice.
An oil infusion can be made with coconut oil, crushed garlic and onion juice to treat an ear infection.
Crushed garlic is also a good addition to homemade mosquito repellent and can be planted near outdoor seating areas. Garlic cloves, placed in the ground around plants can help to deter slugs.

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How to Grow

Garlic is easy to grow. It requires lots of sun and good, organic rich compost, well-drained with a pH of 6.5 to 7. Garlic is an easy plant to cultivate. Remember to plant the bulbs on the shortest day of the year and harvest on the longest day (ACHS, 2019).

Plant garlic cloves with the pointy side up, leaving as much paper around the clove as possible and set them about 2 inches deep with 3 to 4 inches between plants. (In southern climates, garlic is planted in the fall for a spring harvest and in the North, cloves are planted in early spring for a fall harvest).
Cut off any flower shoots that emerge in spring to send all the energy to the roots.
Fertilize garlic in the early spring by side dressing with a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer such as blood meal, chicken manure, or a store-bought organic fertilizer.
Fertilize again just before the bulbs begin to swell in response to lengthening daylight (usually early May in most regions).
It is time to harvest when the tops just begin to yellow and fall over, but before they are completely dry. If pulled too early the bulb wrapping will be thin and disintegrate, if left in the ground too long, the bulbs can split apart.
To harvest, carefully dig up (don’t pull) the bulbs with a spade or a garden fork. Lift the plants carefully, brush off the soil, and let them cure in an airy, shady, dry spot for two weeks. Hang them upside down on a string in bunches of 4 to 6.
Make sure all sides of the garlic bunch gets good air circulation. Be careful not to bruise the garlic or it will not store well.
Once the garlic bulbs are dry, you can store them.
Keep the wrappers on, but remove the dirtiest wrappers, the tops and the roots.
Bulbs should be stored in a cool (40°F / 4°C), dark, dry place, and can be kept for several months.
Don’t store in your basement if it’s moist and do not store garlic in the refrigerator.
The flavor will increase as the bulbs are dried. Properly stored, garlic should last until the next crop is harvested the following summer.
If you plan on planting garlic again next season, save some of your largest, best-formed bulbs to plant again in the fall.