Study #1: Garlic & Cholesterol
There are now over 12 well designed studies published around the world that confirm that garlic in several forms can reduce cholesterol. Most recently researchers in Oxford and Americahave published some summaries of all the good data on garlic.

Garlic as lipid lowering agent - a meta analysis.
Silagy CS, Neil HAW, 1994, The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians.

The authors state that garlic supplements have an important part to play in the treatment of high cholesterol and that this paper reviews all the published and unpublished data from around the world. Overall a 12% reduction in total cholesterol was shown over a placebo and that this reduction was normally evident after only 4 weeks treatment and that this was likely to persist for as long as the study was in progress.

 

The largest study so far was conducted in Germany where 261 patients from 30 general practices were given either garlic powder tablets or a placebo. After a 12 week treatment period mean serum cholesterol levels dropped by 12% in the garlic treated group and triglycerides dropped by 17% compared to the placebo group.

Study #2: Garlic & Pregnancy
Cut the complications of pregnancy naturally with garlic!

New research shows that taking garlic during pregnancy can cut the risk of pre-eclampsia (raised blood pressure and protein retained in the urine). Studies reveal that garlic may help to boost the birth-weight of babies destined to be too small. The research was carried out by Dr D Sooranna, Ms J Hirani and Dr I Das in the Academic Department of Obstertrics & Gynaecology at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London UK.

They concluded that although pre-eclampsia and growth retardation are complex multifactoral conditions, taking standardised garlic tablets (for further details please contact us) throughout pregnancy may decrease the chances of these types of complictions at birth. They focussed on growth retarded babies and pre-eclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition for mother and baby which occurs in about one in ten pregnancies. Experiments by the research team showed that adding extracts of garlic to cells from the placenta of women likely to suffer from these conditions was able to quickly stimulate growth. Furthermore, the activity of key enzymes that are reduced in the abnormal pregnancies were significantly increased when garlic was added.

Garlic is a unique antibiotic because it also nourishes beneficial bacteria, since oligosaccharides found in foods such as garlic and onions are prebiotics which selectively stimulate the growth activities of both good lactobacilli, Acidophilus and Bifidobacteria, in the colon, thereby improving health (Gibson G, et al, Aspects of Health and Disease Involving the Human Colonic Microbiotica, Summary Report of a First Plenary Meeting on Functional Food Science in Europe, Intl Life Sci Inst, 2-4 Apr, 1996); (Macfarlane G, Cummings J, BMJ, 318(999), 1999); (Roberfroid M, Am J Clin Nutr, 71(6), 2000). Fungal growth is inhibited by low concentrations of garlic and lactic acid bacteria are the least sensitive microorganisms to the inhibitory effects of garlic, requiring higher concentrations (Rees L, et al, World J Microbiol Biotechnol, 9: 303, 1993).

Of 50 medicinal plants belonging to 26 families studied for their antimicrobial activity, only nine showed antifungal activity. Garlic exhibited activity against both filamentous and non-filamentous fungi. (Srinivasan D et al, J Ethnopharmacol, 74 (3), 2001)Garlic has a variety of antimicrobial activities: antibacterial; antifungal (particularly against Candida albicans); antiparasitic (including protozoa); and antiviral. Beneficial effects against Candida and candidiasis have been demonstrated in several diverse scientific studies: (Kabelík J, Pharmazie, 25(4), 1970); (Tynecka Z, Gos Z, Acta Microbiol Pol B, 5(1), 1973); (Tynecka Z, Gos Z, Ann Univ Mariae Curie Sklodowska [Med], 30(5), 1975); (Barone F, Tansey M, Mycologia, 69(4), 1977); (Collins E, Hardt P, J Dairy Sci, 63:830, 1980); (Prasad G, Sharma V, Br Vet J, 136:448, 1980); (Sandhu D, et al, Mykosen, 23(12), 1980); (Adetumbi M, Med Hypotheses 12(3), 1983); (Yoshida S, et al, Appl Environ Microbiol, 53:615, 1987); (Ghannoum M, J Appl Bacteriol 68(2), 1990); (Gerhardt R, Arzneim Forsch/Drug Res, 41:800, 1991); (Ankri S, Mirelman D, Microbes Infect, 1(2), 1999); (Sasaki J, et al, J Nutr Sci Vitaminol, 45(6), 1999); (Perfect J, Cox G, Drug Resist Updates, 2(4), 1999); (Vaijayayanthimala J, et al, Phytother Res, 14(3), 2000); (Tsao S, Yin M, J Med Microbiol 50(7), 2001).

Scientific Abstracts

Garlic exhibits a broad antibiotic spectrum against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Noteworthy results published include the following: 1) raw juice of garlic was found to be effective against many common pathogenic bacteria-intestinal bacteria, which are responsible for diarrhea in humans and animals; 2) garlic is effective even against those strains that have become resistant to antibiotics; 3) the combination of garlic with antibiotics leads to partial or total synergism; 4) complete lack of resistance has been observed repeatedly; 5) even toxin production by microorganisms is prevented by garlic. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium implicated in the etiology of stomach cancer and ulcers. The incidence of stomach cancer is lower in populations with a high intake of allium vegetables. We have demonstrated in vitro that H. pylori is susceptible to garlic extract at a fairly moderate concentration. Even some antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains are susceptible to garlic. (Sivam G, J Nutr, 131(3): 1106S, 2001)

Most chemical and biological studies about garlic have been conducted using organosulfur compounds. However, a variety of steroid saponins from garlic are being increasingly recognized for their importance in biological processes. This report demonstrates in vitro antifungal antitumor cytotoxicity and blood coagulability as well as cholesterol-lowering effects effects of steroid saponins from garlic and aged garlic extract. (Matsuura H, J Nutr, 131(3): 1000S, 2001)

The health benefits of garlic likely arise from a wide variety of components, possibly working synergistically. The complex chemistry of garlic makes it plausible that variations in processing can yield quite different preparations. Highly unstable thiosulfinates, such as allicin, disappear during processing and are quickly transformed into a variety of organosulfur components. The efficacy and safety of these preparations in preparing dietary supplements based on garlic are also contingent on the processing methods employed. Although there are many garlic supplements commercially available, they fall into one of four categories, i.e., dehydrated garlic powder, garlic oil, garlic oil macerate and aged garlic extract (AGE). Garlic and garlic supplements are consumed in many cultures for their hypolipidemic, antiplatelet and procirculatory effects. In addition to these proclaimed beneficial effects, some garlic preparations also appear to possess hepatoprotective, immune-enhancing, anticancer and chemopreventive activities. (Amagase H, et al, J Nutr, 131(3): 955S, 2001)

The immunomodulatory effects of naturally occurring sulphur compounds in garlic include the total white blood cell (WBC) count being enhanced significantly and bone-marrow cellularity also being increased significantly in treated animals, suggesting an immunostimulating effect for garlic sulphur compounds.

(Kuttan G, J Ethnopharmacol, 72(1-2), 2000)

Garlic has been widely reported to protect against cardiovascular disease by reducing serum cholesterol concentrations and blood pressure and by inhibiting platelet aggregation. However, most of these studies have been performed in hypercholesterolemic subjects or in animal models. We performed a 13-wk study in normolipidemic subjects who ingested 5 mL of aged garlic extract per day. Dietary supplementation significantly inhibited both the total percentage and initial rate of platelet aggregation. We conclude that AGE, when taken as a dietary supplement by normolipidemic subjects, may be beneficial in protecting against cardiovascular disease as a result of inhibiting platelet aggregation.

(Rahman K& Billington D, J Nutr, 130(11): 2662, 2000)

Allicin, one of the active principles of freshly crushed garlic homogenates, has a variety of antimicrobial activities. Allicin in its pure form exhibits i) antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant enterotoxicogenic strains of Escherichia coli; ii) antifungal activity, particularly against Candida albicans; iii) antiparasitic activity, including some major human intestinal protozoan parasites such as Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia; and iv) antiviral activity.

(Ankri S & Mirelman D, Microbes Infect, 1(2): 125, 1999)

Press Data

An Italian research group reports garlic reduces the risk of possible colon, rectal and kidney cancers, and anticancer effectiveness increase with taking more intake of garlic. That group also reports garlic reduces the risk of all cancers except breast and prostatic cancers.

The research team of John Moores University in Liverpool, England reports intake of garlic extract is able to reduce the possibility of heart attack. In experiment with using a mouse, garlic improves blood circulation in lung, smooth breathing and allicin has effectiveness against Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.

Israel and Poland joint research team reports intake of garlic reduces cholesterol level and risk of heart disease. Garlic supplement market in the USA is around $100 million dollar scale a year and garlic is the most selling supplement in England.

World Daily 02/03/2007

Times selected ten major healthy foods in 2002. National Cancer Institute chose 48 anticancer items. Garlic was chosen as a healthy and anticancer foods absolutely by these two. Garlic has effectiveness to prevent heart attack and stroke. Garlic suresses cholesterol synthetase, reduce LDL level and increase DHL level. It also inhibits coagulation of thrombocyte and blood. It inhibits the metabolism of carcinogenic substances, produces detoxicant enzymes, reduces toxicity of carcinogenic substances and protects damage of DNA. It also inhibits proliferation of cancer cells, increases immunity and has anticancer action with antioxidation.

Hamhae, Korea and Monticelli, Italy are well known main producing place of garlic. Over 75 year old population are almost 3 times more than other places.

Professor. An-shik Jung, A member of life science dept. in KAIST

Vice-president of Korean Cancer Prevention Association

Incheon Daily 03/2007