Garlic as an Herb

(Allium sativum)

The Common Garlic a member of the same group of plants as the onion, is of such antiquity as a cultivated plant, that it is difficult with any certainty to trace the country of its origin.

Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks on the piles of stones at cross-roads as a supper for Hecate, and garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths.

There is a Mohammedan legend that:

'when Satan stepped out from the Garden of Eden after the fall of man, Garlick sprang up from the spot where he placed his left foot, and Onion from that where his right foot touched.'

There is a curious superstition in some parts of Europe, that if a morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his competitors from getting ahead of him, and Hungarian jockeys will sometimes fasten a clove of Garlic to the bits of their horses in the belief that any other racers running close to those thus baited, will fall back the instant they smell the offensive odor.

Medicinal Uses for Garlic

Many marvellous effects and healing powers have been ascribed to Garlic. It possesses stimulant and stomachic properties in addition to its other virtues.

Garlic has been used as food and medicine since the age of the Egyptian pharaohs. The Greek historian and traveler Herodotus (484-425 B.C.) wrote that inscriptions on an Egyptian pyramid recorded the quantities of garlic consumed by the laborers. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) declared, "Garlic has powerful properties, and is of great benefit against changes of water and of residence." He recommended it to treat asthma, suppress coughs, and expel intestinal parasites, but noted some drawbacks (other than garlic breath): garlic dulled the sight, caused flatulence, injured the stomach if taken in excess, and caused thirst.

In olden days, Garlic was employed as a specific for leprosy. It was also believed that it had most beneficial results in cases of smallpox, if cut small and applied to the soles of the feet in a linen cloth, renewed daily.

In China, garlic was traditionally used for fevers, dysentery and intestinal parasites. Its antibacterial activity was first recognized in an 1858 study by the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur.

Syrup of Garlic is an invaluable medicine for asthma, hoarseness, coughs, difficulty of breathing, and most other disorders of the lungs, being of particular virtue in chronic bronchitis, on account of its powers of promoting expectoration. It is made by pouring a quart of water, boiled hot, upon a pound of the fresh root, cut into slices, and allowed to stand in a closed vessel for twelve hours, sugar then being added to make it of the consistency of syrup. Vinegar and honey greatly improve this syrup as a medicine. A little caraway and sweet fennel seed bruised and boiled for a short time in the vinegar before it is added to the Garlic, will cover the pungent smell of the latter.

Bruised and mixed with lard, it has been proved to relieve whooping-cough if rubbed on the chest and between the shoulder-blades.

An infusion of the bruised bulbs, given before and after every meal, has been considered of good effect in epilepsy.

A clove or two of Garlic, pounded with honey and taken two or three nights successively, is good in rheumatism.

If sniffed into the nostrils, garlic will revive a hysterical sufferer. Amongst physiological results, it is reported that Garlic makes the eye retina more sensitive and less able to bear strong light.

Wine of Garlic - made by macerating three or four bulbs in a quart of proof spirit - is a good stimulant lotion for baldness of the head.

In the past twenty years garlic has been the subject of more than 2,500 credible scientific studies. Well documented health benefits include reducing cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood (while increasing high-density lipoproteins, so-called good cholesterol), reducing blood pressure, improving circulation, and helping to prevent yeast infections, cancers, colds, and flu.

Garlic has good antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulant properties. At least nine epidemiological studies show that garlic significantly decreases the incidence of cancer, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, among those who consume it regularly.

Culinary

Used in cooking, garlic is a great aid to digestion, and keeps the coats of the stomach healthy. For this reason, essential oil is made from it and is used in the form of pills.

Garlic Honey: Slice 6 cloves of garlic and add to 4 ounces of honey. Let stand for 7 to 10 days. Use in medicinal teas for colds, flu, sore throats, cough or sinusitis. The cloves themselves may be eaten on toast or crackers, etc.

Garlic Oil: Slice 6 to 8 cloves of fresh garlic and cover in a jar with 4 ounces of olive oil. Steep for 7 days; strain and bottle. Combined with mullein oil for earache. Also used for colds and flu.

Garlic Syrup: 10 to 12 cloves of garlic (sliced) and 1 cup of raw sugar. Layer the sugar and the garlic in a glass jar. Let sit in a cool place for 1 to 2 days. Strain out the garlic and bottle in an amber jar. Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. Can be added to warm tea.

Cautions

Rare cases of allergic reactions to garlic have been reported. Some individuals experience heartburn or flatulence from consuming it.

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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Some plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals. Some plants used for illness in the past have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.