Sell Garlic Extract Allium sativum allicin
- From: "lily liu" <lily@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2006 22:56:20 -0500
Garlic Extract Allium sativum allicin
Overview
Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for
thousands of years, dating as far back as the time that the Egyptian
pyramids were built. Later, gravediggers in early eighteenth-century
France drank a concoction of crushed garlic in wine which they
believed would protect them from getting the plague that killed many
people in Europe. More recently, during both World Wars I and II,
soldiers were given garlic to prevent gangrene and today people use
garlic to help prevent atherosclerosis (plaque build up in the
arteries causing blockage and possibly leading to heart attack or
stroke), improve high blood pressure, and reduce colds, coughs, and
bronchitis.
Medical research has been underway to assess whether these
traditional uses of garlic have scientific validity. While the
science is not definitive at this point, much of the research is
showing real promise and many clinicians continue to report
improvements in the areas of infection and heart-related risk factors
for their individual patients. For example, test tube and animal
studies suggest that garlic can kill many types of bacteria, some
viruses and fungal infections, and even intestinal parasites. The
belief is that properties of garlic may prove to help support immune
function and prevent infection in people. Some experts believe that
science may prove that garlic is particularly useful when taken
together with medications (like antibiotics) prescribed for these
infections.
Garlic also has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help scavenge
free radicals -- particles that can damage cell membranes, interact
with genetic material, and possibly contribute to the aging process
as well as the development of a number of conditions including heart
disease and cancer. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but
environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation,
cigarette smoking, and air pollution) can also increase the number of
these damaging particles. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals
and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause
over time.
The conditions for which garlic is showing the most promise include:
Atherosclerosis
Studies suggest that fresh garlic and garlic supplements may prevent
blood clots and destroy plaque. Blood clots and plaque block blood
flow and contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Blockage
of blood flow to the heart, brain, and legs, can lead to heart
attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease (PVD). People with PVD
experience pain in the legs when they walk and move. If garlic does
reduce the build up of plaque, then stroke, heart attacks, and PVD
may be less likely to occur in people who eat garlic or take garlic
supplements.
Garlic may also be beneficial for risk factors for heart disease,
including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. An
animal study suggests that garlic may help lower homocysteine levels
as well. Homocysteine, similar to cholesterol, may contribute to
increasing amounts of blood clots and plaque in blood vessels.
High Cholesterol
Long hailed for its beneficial effects, a number of studies have
found that garlic reduces elevated total cholesterol levels more
effectively than placebo. However, the extent to which garlic lowers
cholesterol in these studies has been small, and study limitations
make it somewhat difficult to draw any firm conclusions. More
research with better-designed studies is needed in order to fully
assess the safety and effectiveness of garlic and to determine the
most appropriate dose and form
In the meantime, work with a qualified healthcare practitioner,
knowledgeable in herbal medicine, to determine if garlic is safe and
appropriate for you to try. The specialist will assess what other
medications you are taking to make sure that there are no potentially
dangerous interactions, and will follow your cholesterol levels
closely.
.
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