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Pharmacologic activities of aged garlic extract in comparison with other garlic preparations.

Garlic has traditionally been used to treat different disease: fatigue, hypertension, cardiac disease, inflammation, cancer and diabetes. There are two main garlic products on the market: garlic products made from raw garlic (low allicin content) and garlic products made from processed garlic (high in allicin). The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacological activities of different garlic products: raw garlic juice, heated garlic juice, garlic powder and aged garlic extract. The pharmacological effects were determined on different animal models:
  • Effect of garlic product impotence and sperm count after treatment with warm water.
  • Influence of garlic product on intoxication with acetaldehyde.
  • Growth of tumor cells which were inoculated in the mice.
Aged garlic extract showed the most and strongest pharmacologic activity. Aged garlic extract inhibited the growth of tumor cells, stimulated the detoxification of acetaldehyde and recovery of testicular function. Aged garlic extract increased potency induced by warm water to that of the control group. Raw garlic juice was only effective in the recovery of testicular function. Heated garlic juice had a positive effect on all observed parameters, except for recovery of impotence. Garlic powder was only effective in the recovery of sperm production and detoxification of acetaldehyde. Previous studies have shown that aged garlic extract improved peripheral circulation, which may be responsible for the observed improvement of potency and sperm count. The observation that raw garlic juice was no so effective may be explained by its oxidative compounds.

The study concluded that different types of garlic products have different pharmacological properties. Aged garlic extract is the recommended garlic product. Further studies are required to determine the phytochemicals, which are responsible for the pharmacologic activity of aged garlic extract.


Source: Kasuga S, Uda N, Kyo E, Ushijima M, Morihara N and Itakura Y . Pharmacologic activities of aged garlic extract in comparison with other garlic preparations. . Journal of Nutrition. 2001 March;131(3s):1080S-4S


 
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