The pharmacological effect of garlic extract has been proven

2003/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Farmakologia

Garlic has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal herb. Recent research has shown that it contains substances with beneficial effects on medicine.

Researchers from the Chinese Institute of Beijing have published an article that collects the pharmacological effects of garlic extract. It explains that garlic prevents oxidative transformation of DNA by increasing the levels of some antioxidant enzymes in cells. In addition, it prevents the oxidation of LDL, so it seems effective to prevent arteriosclerosis, as well as to prevent and treat thrombosis, avoiding the union of platelets.

On the other hand, it has been proven that a substance from garlic, ajoenea, causes apoptosis of leukemia cells. Another, allicin, prevents the proliferation of cellular types of certain human cancers, such as breast, endometrium and colon cancers.

However, researchers recognize the need to investigate further, especially to determine whether it can cause long-term damage and through what biological mechanisms they act.