Garlic (Allium sativum) is known for its medicinal and health food use. However, garlic extracts are also used in bio-pesticides. This study reports research on the optimisation of a fast and cheap method for assaying allicin, the active constituent of garlic extract, based on UV spectrophotometry. Garlic cloves were extracted using water. The allicin content of the garlic extracts was analysed...

Invasive fungal infections are major threats for immunocompromised patients as well as for those undergoing cancer chemotherapy. Amphotericin B (AmB), a classical antifungal drug with a polyene macrolide structure, is widely used for the control of serious fungal infections. However, the clinical use of this antifungal drug is limited by its side effects and the emergence of drug-resistant stra...

The increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitals and the community has led to a demand for new agents that could be used to decrease the spread of these bacteria. Topical agents such as mupirocin have been used to reduce nasal carriage and spread and to treat skin infections; however, resistance to mupirocin in MRSAs is increasing. Allicin is the main...

Here we aimed to determine the therapeutic effect of allicin on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and explore the mechanism(s) of action. AS mouse model was constructed by transferring the HLA-B2704 gene into Kunming mice and verified by RT-PCR and CT imaging. Verified AS mice were randomly divided into model group (n = 6) and allicin-treated groups (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, resp., n = 6, p.o., for 2 ...

This work was performed to study the effect of allicin on hypertension and cardiac function in a rat model of CKD. The groups were control, CKD (5/6 nephrectomy), and CKD-allicin treated (CKDA) (40 mg/kg day/p.o.). Blood pressure was monitored (weekly/6 weeks). The cardiac function, vascular response to angiotensin II, oxidative stress, and heart morphometric parameters were determined. The CKD...

BACKGROUND Allium sativum, the active ingredient in garlic, is known to have a beneficial effect on major cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidemia, blood pressure, blood glucose and insulin levels. However, the data on the significance of these effects are inconsistent due to methodological limitations, especially the use of whole garlic cloves which does not allow controlled dosing ...

BACKGROUND Vascular endothelial apoptosis is significantly associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, for which oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) is a major risk factor. Allicin, the primary active ingredient of garlic, has been found to have cardiovascular protective effect by changing the fatty-acid composition, but its effect on ox-LDL-induced vascular endothelial i...

BACKGROUND Commercially available garlic preparations in the form of garlic oil, garlic powder and pills are widely used for certain therapeutic purposes, including lowering blood pressure and improving lipid profile. Despite the impressive effects of garlic most studies are limited by lack of controlled methods and suitable double-blinding, and by the use of preparations with unknown amounts a...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the hypocholesterolemic effect of an enteric-coated garlic supplement standardized for allicin-releasing potential in mild to moderate hypercholesterolemic patients. METHODS A double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in 46 hypercholesterolemic subjects who had failed or were not compliant with drug therapy. Each subject was given dieta...