Garlic and immunity

This culinary marvel and supplement mainstay gives our defenses a boost

Garlic and immune-boosting go back a waysfrom the workers who built the pyramids, to World War I medics who wrapped wounds in garlicsoaked bandages, to worldly-wise travelers who carry this noble bulb to ward off parasites. It's nice to know that there's solid research validating many of garlic's traditional uses, and some more recent applications.

Garlic vs. Cancer

An animal study by Eikai Kyo, and colleagues, found that garlic extract (aged) can he a powerful immune modulator versus cancer, specifically against sarcoma and carcinoma-boosting immunity where it needs to be yet keeping it inside the foul line so that the immune-charging effect doesn't lead to the over-production of inflammatory compounds, such as mast cells, certain prostaglandins, and thromboxane. Garlic extract (aged) stimulated the release of immune factors and held back the growth of tumors.

Kyo, E., cl at. `Immunomodulation and anti.tumor activities of aged garlic

extract," Phytomedicine li(4):259-267, 1998.

The anticancer effects of garlic, in food form, were evaluated by Geja Hageman in a 1997 study that appeared in Cancer Letters. Nine healthy, non-smoking men ate cucumber salad daily for 8 days. After a 7-day break ("wash-out period"), the participants ate the same salad-but with 3 gms of raw garlic added to it-also for 8 days. In 8 out of the 9 garlic-eating men, reduced indicators of pre-cancer (BP-DNA adduct levels) were shown. Reference

Hageman, Gea, et al. "Assessment of the anticarcinogenic potential of raw garlic in humans," Cancer Letters 114:161-162,1997.

Breast & Prostate Cancers

A group of researchers from North Carolina's East Carolina University School of Medicine (led by Manfred Steiner) decided to look at one of the stable sulfur compounds in garlic extract (aged): S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) to figure out if it can block the spread (in the test tube) of human cancer, specifically erythroleukemia, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. The results? The authors found a strong anti-cancer-spread action in breast cancer and prostate cancer, especially. Reference

Sigounas, George. et al. "S-allylmercaptocysteine inhibits cell proliferation and reduces the viability of erythroleukemia, breast, and prostate cancer cell lines," Nutrition and Cancer 27(2):186-191, 1997.

Protect your immune system

At South Korea's Chosun University, H.G. Jeong and Y.W. Lee wanted to see what would happen if they gave a garlic compound, diallyl sulfide (DAS), to a group of rodents before exposing them to the cancer-causing chemical, NDMA. The researchers found that giving this garlic compound for 14 days straight prevented NDMA from holding back the system's normal immune (antibody) response. Translation? Garlic appears to protect the immune system.

Reference

Jeong, H.G., and Lee, Y.W. "Protective effects of diallyl sulfide on Nnitrodimethylamine-induced immunosuppression in mice," Cancer Letters 134(1):73-79, 1998.

Anti-allergic effects

A 1997 study by Eikai Kyo, and colleagues, attempted to dope out if there was an effect on certain allergy/immune cells and chemicals which are associated with allergic reactions: mast cells, basophils and activated T lymphocytes. In this rodent model, giving garlic extract (aged) reduced histamine release (anti-histamine effect) by 50-90 percent. Artificially broughton ear swelling was also reduced by 25-55 percent. The authors concluded that garlic extract (aged) could beneficially balance, or modify, the function of mast cells, basophils, and activated T lymphocytes-factors which all "play a leading role in allergic cascade reac tions, including inflammation.

Reference

Kyo, E., et al. "Antiallergic effects of aged garlic extract," Phytomedicine 4(4):335-340, 1997.