Garlic
Allium sativum
also known as Allium, Russian penicillin
Used medicinally for over 5,000 years and named in Egyptian, Greek, and Indian texts. Modern research is consistent on the cardiovascular side — the effects are modest, but they're real.
- Modestly lowers blood pressure
- Modestly lowers total and LDL cholesterol
- Antimicrobial — the sharp compound that forms when garlic is crushed has natural antibacterial action
- Antioxidant support
- Supports general immune function
- Mild blood-thinning effect that adds up over time
Active in Allicin, Diallyl sulfides, S-allyl cysteine, Ajoene.
Use caution with blood thinners — additive thinning is real
Stop two weeks before surgery
Can cause stomach upset, breath odor, and body odor at higher doses
Raw garlic on skin can cause chemical burns — never apply directly
Use caution at therapeutic doses during pregnancy
Research
- Harnessing nature: a systematic exploration of in vitro antileishmanial and antihuman African trypanosomal properties in traditional medicinal plants and their active principles.
- Geographical origin authentication of whole garlic using 16S ribosomal RNA profiling of garlic microbiota and machine learning.
- Discovery of garlic-derived peptides as natural DPP4 inhibitors: An integrated computational, network pharmacology, and in situ evaluation approach.
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