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.
“Medical texts from China, India, Egypt, Greece and Italy
mention medical applications of garlic, 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.
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)

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