Garlic (Allium sativum L) and Its beneficial properties for health: A Review

Abstract

Generally, chefs use garlic as an ingredient that enhances the sensory qualities of foods. However, recent studies have shown that garlic contains Sulphur compounds, which provide a health benefit. This review identifies and describes those constituents in garlic responsible for their anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and in some cases anti-cancer properties. Also, this review reports the chemical and nutritional contents of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and shows its health benefits for humans. A large variability and diversity in the nutritional content of garlic was found in the literature, including functional properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, and immunological), and many health benefit components, such as antihypertensive, hypolipidemic, antiatherogenic, anticarcinogenic, antitumor, antiaggregant, fibrinolytic, immunomodulatory, and antianemic. Allicin and ajoene were identified among some of the compounds in garlic which are beneficial for human health. Quantity varies depending on bulb maturity and harvest location, and values range between approximately 1mg/g and 9mg/g for allicin and 0.12 mg/g to 0.22 mg/g of garlic oil macerate for ajoene.

Medicinal and therapeutic properties of garlic, garlic essential oil, and garlic-based snack food: An updated review

“…Heart disease is considered to be one of the biggest causes of death worldwide, which includes heart-related diseases like hypertension. Studies have shown that garlic can help people who are suffering from hypertension by lowering their blood pressure ( 91 ). By partially increasing Na+/K+-ATPase levels, garlic and its identified metabolites can inhibit iso-induced hypertrophic development in rat heart tissue and H9C2 cell lines ( 92 ).…”

In-vitro Antibacterial Activity of Allium sativum on Common Food Poisoning Bacteria

“…The antibacterial activity of the aqueous Allium sativum extract on three standard organisms studied varies with the type and composition of the extract, concentration used, types of microorganism, pH value and temperature of the environment [38]. The results of this study indicated that the aqueous extract of garlic had an antibacterial activity on the tested organisms.…”

Potential Use of Garlic for Control of Drug-Resistant Bacteria

“…Fresh garlic bulbs have been found to contain roughly 0.4% allicin and 0.9% alliin. Alliin is the main sulfur compound in both raw and powdered garlic, with about 8 g/kg present in garlic cloves (Espinoza et al, 2020). Allicin can compromise bacterial cell walls by destabilizing the peptidoglycan layer, leading to cell shrinkage, swelling, and eventual lysis.…”

“…Ajoene is a collection of various organosulfur compounds that are associated with the properties of garlic. Chemically identified as (E, Z)-4,5, 9-trithiadodeca-1, 6, 11-triene 9-oxide, ajoene remains stable in water (Espinoza et al, 2020). Derived from three allicin molecules, both types of ajoene undergo this conversion (Nakamoto et al, 2020).…”