Antimicrobial Activity of Garlic Extract Against Shigella

Some beliefs suggest that garlic is an excellent natural antimicrobial drug that can be considered as an alternative form of treatment or prophylaxis in gastrointestinal infections. The purpose of this study is to determine quantitative antimicrobial activity of garlic against Shigella by detecting the MIC. Garlic extracts were obtained and dilution susceptibility assay was used to determine the antibacterial properties of these extracts.  All tested isolates of Shigella were susceptible to garlic extracts, and no one showed resistance to garlic extracts.  These and many other research works propose garlic as a strategy for a low-cost intervention with few side effects and complete lack of resistance for prophylaxis and remedy of shigellosis in populations at high risk, particularly where antibiotic resistance and the risk of reinfection are high.