Garlic

                 

Introduction:  Garlic, known by its botanical name Allium sativum which was known to be known to Egyptians, used in traditional medicine where China dominates with 80% of the total global supply.  In garlic, bulb is used as the most common part which is normally divided into flesh sections called cloves.  They grow mainly in tropical regions and grows well in cooler climate.  Cloves are enclosed in a white or pink purple tinged papery membrane and are actually swollen specialized leaves.There are two basic types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck garlics are characterized by hard, woody central stalks that extend down to the basal plate at the bottom of the bulb.  Softneck garlics are thought to have evolved from hardneck garlics. Softnecks have a non-woody pseudostem formed from overlapping leaf sheaths and rarely send up a flower stalk.

Medicinal Uses:  Garlic is widely used as a medicine worldwide and is regarded as an aphrodisiac.  Garlic is a particularly rich source of organosulfur compounds, which are thought to be responsible for its flavor and aroma, as well as its potential health benefits.  It is used relieve cough, fever, hair issues, skin disorders such as eczema, scabies, tetanus and lung inflammation.

They are also used in many digestive disorders, diabetes, rheumatism, tuberculosis, high blood pressure, etc. They are used as an antiseptic agent to treat infections due to bacteria and viruses.

Pharmacology: Allium sativum is a member of the onion family. The plant contains 0.1% to 0.3% of a strong-smelling volatile oil containing allyl disulfides such as allicin. Extracts from garlic are reported to have a number of biocidal activities, to decrease lipid and cholesterol levels, to prolong clotting times, to inhibit platelet aggregation, and to increase fibrinolytic activity.  Two classes of organosulfur compounds are found in whole garlic cloves, L-cysteine sulfoxides and γ-glutamyl-L-cysteine peptides.

                          

                     

Garlic's ability to lower the blood pressure is multifactorial and includes: increasing the availability and activities of nitric oxide, inhibiting ACE thereby reducing a number of pathways that are known to decrease plasma volume and vasoconstriction, and lastly, increasing the production of H2S that results in hyperpolarization of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Home Remedies:

Ingredients:

• 20-0 Cloves of garlic.
• 500 ml of pure honey.

Method:  Cut the garlic into small pieces and place it inside an air-tight jar.  Add the 500 ml of pure honey into it and leave it for a while.

Uses:  Having 2-3 pieces of garlic dipped in honey in empty stomach is found to reduce the belly fat.  It is also found to get rid of cold and cough in winter seasons.