If the term "wonder drug" could be given to any of the herbs, perhaps it belongs to Garlic (allium sativum). It is apparently the world's second oldest medicine (after ephedra) and is still leading the way today in many new fields of research. It is a plant / food / herb that we are all very familiar with. most of us will eat it several times a week, however often in a cooked form. Garlic has been a staple of many different cultures for thousands of years. Garlic remains have been found in caves inhabited 10,000 years ago. The first garlic prescription was apparently one chiseled in cuneiform script on a Sumerian clay tablet dating from 3000BC. The entire ancient world from Spain through to China was in love with garlic, this love continues to this day.

Garlic is among the few herbs that have a universal usage and recognition. It's daily usage aids and supports the body in ways that no other herb does. It is one of the most  effective anti-microbial plants available, actiing on bacteria, viruses and alimentary parasites. The volatile oil of garlic is an effective agent and as it is largely excreted via the lungs, it is of use in infections of this system such as chronic bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, recurrent colds and influenza. It may also be helpful inthe treatment of whooping cough and as a broader approach to bronchitic asthma. In general it may be used as a preventative for most infectious conditions, digestive as well as respiratory. For the digestive tract it has been found that Garlic will support the development of the natural bacteria flora whilst killing pathogenic organisms. In addition to these amazing properties it will also reduce blood pressure when taken over a period of time, as well as reduce blood cholesterol levels. Garlic needs to be thought of as a basic food that will augment the body's health and protect it in general.

Healing with Garlic - the science of an ancient antibiotic.

Garlic's antibiotic constituent remained a "scientific" mystery until the 1920's, when researchers at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland isolated alliin (pronounced AL-lee-in) from the herb. Alliin by itself has little medicinal value, but when garlic is chewed, crushed or bruised the alliin comes in contact with a garlic enzyme allinase, which then transforms it into another powerful chemical allicin, which is a powerful antibiotic.

Since the 1920's, garlic's broad-spectrum antibiotic properties have been confirmed in literally dozens of animal and human studies. Garlic has been shown to kill the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, food poisoning, woman's bladder infections and interestingly may also be helpful in the prevention of infection by the influenza virus. Chinese researchers report recent success in using garlic to treat 21 cases of cryptococcal meningitis, an often fatal fungal infection. Several studies also show the herb to be effective in treating the fungi that also cause athlete's foot (Trichophyton mentagrophytes) and vaginal yeast infections (Candida albicans).

Researchers have also found that 1 medium sized clove of garlic packs the anti-bacterial punch of about 100,000 units of penicillin. Depending on the type of infection, oral penicillin doses typically range from 600,000 to 1.2 million units. The equivalent in garlic then would be between 6 - 12 cloves. It is best to chew 3 cloves at a time, two to four times a day. Garlic is best taken raw; research has also shown that when allicin is heated above body temperature it loses some of it's power and potency.

Cholesterol Killer.

Even in these times of increased medical attention given to the problems our western society has with very high levels of cholesterol, it is said that no standard medications can match Garlic when it comes to acting on so many cardiovascular risk factors at the same time. Some drugs reduce blood pressure. Others decrease cholesterol. And some reduce the likliness of internal blood clots, which trigger heart attacks and some strokes. But Garlic does all of these things - thanks to allicin and another component of the herb - ajoene.

Several studies dating back to the Sandoz experiments confirm Garlic's ability to reduce blood pressure in humans and also in animals. More than a dozen journel reports document Garlic's ability to reduce cholesterol. In one experiemnt published in the esteemed medical journal Lancet, researchers had volunteers eat a meal containing about 4 ounces of butter, which directly raises cholesterol. Half the group also ate about 9 cloves of garlic. After 3 hours the average cholesterol level in the non-garlic group increased 7%. But interestingly in the garlic eating group it decreased by 7%. The researchers concluded "Garlic has a very significant protective action against high cholesterol"  Garlic also has been rigourously studied in the field of preventing the kinds of blood clots that trigger heart attacks. One researcher said that the herb was "at least as potent as aspirin" which has recently been promoted as an anti-clotting heart-attack preventer. It has been shown that there is a strong link between all of these factors and impotence in older males. Generally the impotence shows itself as a precursor to these symptoms becoming potentially life threatening. A course of raw garlic chewed and eaten over a period of time was shown to reduce all of these life threatening conditions, and restore "potency" albeit at the expense of some significant garlic breath....which may have been somewhat counterproductive to the aim of the experiment!

The Safety and use of Garlic.

Garlic's anticlotting action may help prevent heart attack and some kinds of stroke, but medicinal amounts could conceivably cause problems for those with clotting disorders. Garlic also freely enters the milk of nursing mothers and may cause colic in some infants. In saying this the wide ranging benefits of Garlic may outweight the risks of potential coli. Perhaps if colic does become an issue then look at all of the possible causes of the colic holistically. It may transpire that eating garlic may be a contributing factor but not the entire cause. Garlic is generally considered safe as a food for children under 2 years of age, again use with caution and common sense. Perhaps the best thing we can do is to change the way in which we view garlic. It is not just a flavour in cooking, it is infact a medical swiss army knife - useful in many many ocassions and always best to be kept close at hand, ready to be deployed at a moments notice. Oh, and try getting use to eating it raw. It is far better for you, and releases all of the powerful and potent aspects to it's healing power. If you find it a bit hard to stomach by itself, then try it in larger quantities in pestos, tahini and hummus for a less intrusive taste, or mixed with some cold pressed olive oil on a slice of hot whole grain rye toast. Delicious, and so beneficial for your overall health.