Herbs Vitamins Message Board General Store Garlic is a member of the onion family and is nature's most versatile medicinal plant. Garlic has been used all over the world for thousands of years for a wide range of conditions. It has been prized since the first records of civilization for its uses in treating wounds, infections, tumors, and intestinal parasites. Garlic is a potent antioxidant that has been found to inhibit tumor cell formation and is currently being studied by the National Cancer Institute. It may be effective in fighting stomach, skin and colon cancer.
Garlic bulbs contain the amino acid allicin.
When crushed, allicin is released. This chemical element is the component that gives Garlic its strong odor and is responsible for the powerful pharmacological properties of the plant. Garlic's sulfur compounds, in addition to Selenium and Vitamins A and C containing compounds, make it a potent antioxidant, protecting cell membranes and DNA from damage and disease. Although Garlic directly attacks bacteria and viruses, it also stimulates the body's natural defenses against foreign invaders. Garlic is reported to be more effective than penicillin against typhus disease, and works well against strep, staph bacteria, and the organisms responsible for cholera, dysentery and enteritis.