Latest research shows garlic is good for you .... doh!

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Main Category: Nutrition/Agriculture News

Article 29 Mar 2006 - 0:00am (UK)

 

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)

 

Studies published in the journal were made possible through a variety

of public and private funding sources.

 

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