Linn.
Habitat: Native to America; introduced into India, grown in gardens.
Action: Root—diuretic, antispas- modic, emmenagogue, abortifa- cient. Used for whooping cough, also for rheumatism and nervous diseases. (Long term use in high doses causes brain damage.)
Ethanolic extract of the leaves contains leridal, leridol, 5-O-methylleri- dol and 3-O-rhamnosides of dihydro- kaempferol, dihydroquercetin and my- ricetin. The presence of high nitrate content in the plant has been reported and is considered a risk factor in humans.
Linn.
Family: Liliaceae, Alliaceae.
Habitat: Native to Central Asia. Cultivated all over India.
English: Garlic.
Ayurvedic: Lashuna, Rasona, Yavaneshta, Ugragandha, Ma- haushadh, Arishta.
Unani: Seer, Lahsun.
Siddha/Tamil: Ullippoondu, Vellaip- pondu.
Action: Antibiotic, bacteriostatic, fungicide, anthelmintic, antithrom- bic, hypotensive, hypoglycaemic, hypocholesterolaemic. Also used for upper respiratory tract infections and catarrhal conditions.
Key application: As a supportive to dietary measures for elevated levels of lipids in blood; as a preventive measure for age-dependent vascular changes. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO, The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.) Also as an antimicrobial. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia). Garlic has been shown to be effective in respiratory infections and catarrhal conditions. (The British Herbal Compendium.)The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia indicates the use of the bulb as a brain tonic in epilepsy and psychic disorders.Heavy consumption of garlic prior to surgery led to increased clotting time or reduced platelet aggregation (in human case reports). Garlic tablets at a dose of 400 mg twice daily for 12 weeks reduced platelet aggregation 59% compared with placebo in 80 patients (in human clinical study). (Francis Brinker.)Garlic cloves are high in sulphur- containing amino acids known as al- liin (no taste, no smell, no medicinal action). With crushing or chewing alli- in comes into contact with the enzyme alliinase. Alliinase, in less than 6 s, transforms alliin into allicin (strongly medicinal), which breaks down into a number of sulphur compounds including ajoene, vinyldithin and diallyl disulfide, and trisulfide. The antibiotic effect is attributed to allicin; hypogly- caemic effect to allicin and allylpro- phyldisulphide (also to S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide); anticarcinogenic activity to diallyl monosulfide; platelet aggregation inhibitory effect to diallyl-di- and tri-sulphides. Ajoene inactivated human gastric lipase, which is involved in digestion and absorption of dietary fats.Diallyltetra, penta-, hexa- and hep- tasulphides are potential antioxidants.Allium leptophyllum Wall. is equated with Vana Lashuna, Jangali Lahsun.
Dosage: Bulb—3 g (API Vol. III.)... allium sativum
Guinea-hen-weed (Petiveria alliacea).Plant Part Used: Leaf, root, stem.Dominican Medicinal Uses: The root is traditionally prepared as a tincture in alcohol and taken orally for arthritis, joint and muscle pain. The leaf and/or root is typically prepared as an infusion and taken orally for nausea and stomach ailments, women’s health conditions (dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, menopausal symptoms, ovarian cysts, labor pains, postpartum recovery, uterine fibroids) and to cleanse the blood. The leaf is also prepared as a poultice and applied topically for skin infections.Safety: No data on the safety of this plant in humans has been identified in the available literature. Animal studies of the leaf have shown relatively low toxicity, and TRAMIL has approved this herb for particular traditional uses.Contraindications: Avoid use during pregnancy, lactation and in children under 12 years of age.Drug Interactions: Concomitant use of this herb with insulin and hypoglycemic drugs may potentiate their effects.Clinical Data: No human clinical trials have been identified in the available literature.Laboratory & Preclinical Data: The following biological activities have been demonstrated in laboratory and preclinical studies (using in vitro or animal models): analgesic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, chemopreventive, cytotoxic and hypoglycemic.* See entry for Anamú in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... anamú
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