Garlic
Allium sativum
also known as Allium, Russian penicillin
A pungent bulb with modest evidence for blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiovascular support, plus broad antimicrobial activity.
- May modestly lower blood pressure
- May modestly lower total cholesterol
- Provides antimicrobial allicin
- Antioxidant support
- May support immune function
- May modestly thin the blood
- Used medicinally for over 5000 years
- Featured in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Indian texts
Active in Allicin, Diallyl sulfides, S-allyl cysteine, Ajoene.
Use caution with blood thinners — additive effect
Discontinue 2 weeks before surgery
May cause GI upset, breath odor, and body odor
Topical raw garlic can cause severe burns
Use caution in pregnancy at therapeutic doses
Related literature · not reviewed for these claims
These papers were imported by topic. They may concern plants, laboratory work, or different preparations. Inclusion here does not establish a human health benefit or support the claims above. How to read our sources →
- 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.
- Development and characterization of polyherbal formulation from Allium sativum, Cuminum cyminum, Cinnamomum verum, Elettaria cardamomum and Zingiber officinale with therapeutic potential against sinusitis-associated pathogens.
- Network pharmacology and machine learning reveal multi-target mechanisms of poly herbal formulation against atherosclerosis.
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Common questions
There's modest evidence for both. Garlic isn't a dramatic fix, but regular use is associated with small improvements in blood pressure and total cholesterol.
Use caution. Garlic has its own mild blood-thinning effect, so combined with a prescription blood thinner the effect can add up more than expected.
It's the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic's health benefits. The same compounds that give it its smell are metabolized and released through breath and skin, which is why the odor can be hard to fully mask.
No. Raw garlic applied topically can cause real chemical burns. Any topical use should be well diluted, not applied directly.