Garlic-A Golden Wonder

Garlic belongs to the family of Allium which produce organosulfur compounds like allicin and diallyl disulfide (DADS) which give its pungent as well as spicy aroma. It's benefits have been attributed to hypotensive and vasorelaxant activities. It has also been found that chronic Helicobacter pylori is reduced with Allium vegetable intake. Garlic preparations are widely available as garlic powder (GP) or garlic oil (GO). Epidemiological studies have shown a close link between stomach cancer, H. pylori infection and the consumption of Allium vegetables. Since a long time, garlic has been used as herbal medicines for treating a variety of ailments like hypertension, high blood cholesterol and thrombosis. At the same time, it can also produce adverse effects such as cutaneous irritation, edema and allergic contact dermatitis.