Garlic, recognized for its healing
powers in ancient times, is now being rediscovered by medical
scientists, who have new evidence of its efficacy against cancer and
heart disease
Newswise — Garlic,
recognized for its healing powers in ancient times, is now being
rediscovered by medical scientists, who have new evidence of its
efficacy against cancer and heart disease. Dr. Richard Rivlin, of
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, is guest
co-editor of a special March peer-reviewed supplemental issue to The
Journal of Nutrition. The issue comprises 35 articles representing
the latest research on garlic -- findings that were first presented
at a symposium held last year at Georgetown University.
"Medical texts from
China, India, Egypt, Greece and Italy mention medical applications
of garlic," says Dr. Rivlin, professor of medicine at Weill Cornell
Medical College, attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and director of the Nutrition
Center at the Strang Cancer Prevention Laboratory. "Cultures that
developed independently came to the same general conclusions,
namely, that garlic could be administered to provide strength and to
increase work capacity. Hippocrates, considered the Father of
Medicine, used garlic as an essential component of one of his
therapies."
Dr. Rivlin believes
that while much promising research has been made pointing to the
disease-preventive and therapeutic effects of garlic, at the present
time, it should be considered complementary medicine, not
alternative therapy. "The rapid pace of advances in garlic research
provides increasing evidence that garlic has significant potential
as a complement to established therapies."
New research on the
health benefits of garlic, as published in The Journal of Nutrition
special issue, include the following:
* Selenium -- a
compound found in garlic -- may be instrumental to garlic's
anti-cancer properties. ("Cancer Chemoprevention by Garlic and
Garlic-Containing Sulfur and Selenium Compounds," by Drs. K. El-Bayoumy
and R. Sinha, Penn. State; Dr. J. Pinto, Cornell-Burke Medical
Research Institute; and Dr. R. Rivlin, Weill Cornell Medical
College)
* Garlic may slow
the progression of coronary artery calcification in patients on
statin therapy. ("Aged Garlic Extract Retards Progression of
Coronary Artery Disease," by Dr. M. Budoff, Harbor-UCLA Medical
Center)
* In addition to
its cholesterol-lowering potential, blood-pressure-lowering effects,
and antioxidant properties, garlic may help moderate levels of
homocysteine, an amino acid that is a marker for coronary artery
disease. ("Homocysteine-Lowering Action Is Another Potential
Cardiovascular Protective Factor of Aged Garlic Extract," by Drs. Y.
Yeh and S. Yeh, Penn. State)
* Garlic may
inhibit platelet aggregation -- a major contributing factor to
cardiovascular disease -- by suppressing calcium mobilization.
("Aged Garlic Extract May Inhibit Aggregation in Human Platelets by
Suppressing Calcium Mobilization," by Drs. G. Allison, G. Lowe, and
K. Rahman, Liverpool John Moores University, U.K.)
* Garlic may reduce
pre-cancerous gastric lesions. ("Factorial Trial Including Garlic
Supplements Assesses Effect in Reducing Precancerous Gastric
Lesions," by Dr. M. Gail, National Cancer Institute, and Dr. W. You,
Beijing Institute of Cancer Research)
* Garlic may
suppress progression of precancerous lesions of the large bowel.
("Aged Garlic Extract Has Potential Suppressive Effect on Colorectal
Adenomas in Humans," by Drs. S. Tanaka, Hiroshima University, Japan;
K. Haruma, Kawasaki Medical School, Japan; M. Yoshihara, Hiroshima
University, Japan; G. Kajiyama, Onomichi General Hospital, Japan; K.
Kira, Wakunaga Pharmaceutical, Japan; H. Amagase, Wakunaga of
America; and K. Chayama, Hiroshima University, Japan)
