After understanding the composition of garlic, scientists gradually confirmed the function of garlic through a series of experiments, mainly in the following ways:
I. prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases
This kind of scientific clinical reports can be said to be a dime a dozen, and the medical community is more convinced of its clinical function. There are three main mechanisms to analyze its role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases:
(1) A group of sulfur-containing compounds in garlic (hereinafter referred to as garlic essence) can inhibit the synthesis of HMG-CoA from cholesterol in the liver, thus lowering blood cholesterol (high blood cholesterol is the most important factor for arteriosclerosis, heart disease and hypertension).
(2) Garlic essence can increase the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in vascular endothelial cells by inhibiting adenosine deaminase, and block intracellular calcium channels, thus relaxing blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.
(3) Garlic essence has strong antithrombotic activity, and allicin is the main role of this effect (Ai Qiaoen's antithrombotic activity is only 3% of allicin). Therefore, the antithrombotic effect of allicin has a satisfactory preventive and therapeutic effect on myocardial infarction, arteriosclerosis and venous tumor.
Second, fight bacteria and viruses.
In western medicine, we mentioned that antibiotics refer to drugs used to treat microbial infections. The main function of these drugs is to eliminate these microorganisms that can cause human diseases. However, no matter how advanced the research and development of drugs is, so far, the bactericidal effect of antibiotics can only be targeted at one or two specific categories. For example, most bacteria can't kill mold, let alone have any effect on viruses; As for dealing with protozoa, that's another medicine. Only garlic, a god-given treasure, can effectively deal with the threat of bacteria, viruses, molds and protozoa to human body at the same time.
Garlic essence has a wide range of bactericidal effects, whether aerobic (tuberculosis) or anaerobic, garlic essence has obvious bactericidal effect. However, garlic essence can play a role in some viruses that cannot be solved by western medicine, such as human rhinovirus type 2, herpes simplex virus 1 type, smallpox virus and lip rash related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma and sinusitis (Nd Weber et al., Plantamed, 1992 Oct). 58 ( 5 ) : 4 17-423 )。 Even more amazing is that allicin has the function of blocking the reproduction and spread of HIV virus that causes AIDS at high dose.
Third, natural antioxidants.
The damage of free radicals to human cells makes them equal to various chronic diseases, which is more closely related to the occurrence of cancer; The concentration of free radicals in cancer patients is always much higher than that in normal people, and antioxidants are the most direct antidote to eliminate free radicals.
1996, two biochemical scientists Jasper and Botia conducted experiments on two groups of mice fed with garlic extract and without garlic extract: they received the same amount of cobalt 60 (radiation source). The results show that garlic essence can really reduce the mortality and organ damage caused by radiation.
In addition, garlic essence has also been proved to have protective effect on cancer-causing cell damage caused by aflatoxin (which is easy to occur in moldy and rotten beans and peanut products) (pptadi et al., anticancer RES,1991nov; 1 1 ( 6 ) :2037-204 1 )。 The anti-cancer and anti-cell degeneration (mutation) effects of allicin mainly come from its antioxidant effect, which can neutralize and eliminate the free radicals produced by peroxide (S. Knas Muller Al., Environ molecular mutagen,1989; 13 ( 4 ) :357-365 )。
Fourth, it helps to prevent and treat diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar rises due to problems in glucose metabolism in the body. The main reason is that the insulin secretion is insufficient or the sensitivity of cells to insulin is reduced, which leads to the inability of cells to effectively use glucose, which leads to the increase of blood sugar. Scientists have found that garlic essence can obviously inhibit some glucose-producing enzymes, but it is helpful to the function of enzymes related to glucose metabolism in the liver, because garlic can also reduce the concentration of triglycerides in the blood (the concentration of triglycerides in the blood of diabetic patients is very high), so eating more garlic is also helpful to the prevention and treatment of diabetes (CG Sheela et al., Indian J Expbiol,1992 Jun; 30 ( 6 ) :523-526 )。
Fifth, relieve high intraocular pressure.
Glaucoma is usually accompanied by high intraocular pressure, which leads to impaired vision. In animal experiments, allicin in garlic can effectively reduce intraocular pressure. Therefore, it is speculated that eating more garlic is helpful to relieve the symptoms of ocular hypertension in glaucoma patients (Tcchu et al., Joucol Pharmacol,1993; 9 ( 3 ) :20 1-209 )
Sixth, improve liver and lung diseases.
The simultaneous pathological changes of liver disease and lung obstruction are the phenomena that will lead to tissue hypoxia and unexplained protein's digestion and metabolism blocked in gastrointestinal tract. A report published in Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in 1992 by Kawell et al. 1992 pointed out that a patient with lung and liver diseases had miraculously improved after trying to take a large dose of garlic essence health food supplement for 18 months in a row, and garlic could promote the normal gastrointestinal function and smooth pulmonary circulation, which was obtained by this group of scientists. How to eat garlic?
Most people are used to chopping raw garlic and dipping it in soy sauce. In fact, as mentioned above, due to long-term oxidation or high temperature (above 56 degrees Celsius), the effective active ingredients in garlic are easily lost. Therefore, if you really want to "eat garlic and eat healthily", you must put the whole garlic directly into your mouth and take a bite.
However, because the sulfur-containing compounds in garlic have strong mucosal irritation, many people swallow them whole because they are afraid of the pungent, hot and spicy taste. However, don't forget that allicin does not exist in whole garlic. Only by pulverizing garlic can the precursor of allicin react with enzyme to produce allicin with physiological activity. In addition, Erin-decomposing enzymes that do not interact with Erin will also be destroyed in the environment of strong acid in the stomach. If you like the pleasure of chewing whole garlic, that's great, but most people still can't accept the taste of fresh garlic.
Another problem of chewing raw garlic is that most digestive tract mucosa is difficult to accept the stimulation of sulfide in raw garlic, which may also lead to allergic reaction and stomach burning discomfort in severe cases. But if you can accept chewing two or three cloves of medium-sized fresh garlic (about three to five grams) every day without causing any gastrointestinal discomfort, it is still worth encouraging.
Seven, choose garlic products
Choosing a health food supplement made of garlic may be the first choice for busy modern people who pay attention to interpersonal communication (to avoid bad breath)! However, we should pay special attention to the fact that the active and effective components of garlic are easily destroyed in the process of manufacturing and refining. Can these pills give full play to the health function of garlic if swallowed? Consumers should choose carefully!
In the past, garlic products generally used high temperature drying or ultra-low temperature extraction technology, but this extraction technology would destroy the source of plant active substances in garlic, because the source of plant active substances in garlic had to undergo a series of chemical enzymatic reactions under natural conditions to produce bioactive substances with dietotherapy effect. Therefore, garlic products using the above technology will greatly reduce their dietotherapy effect.
Buying garlic products depends on whether it is rich in allicin and allicin, and also depends on whether it contains all the nutrients of garlic. Only products that meet these quality standards can be really beneficial to health. At present, there are also such products on the market, such as Ali Xinhu Garlic King Capsule (supervised by Peking University Science Park), which is made of high-quality garlic (especially Tibetan garlic). The extraction and production technology adopted is a high-tech patented technology that has obtained American invention patents and China utility model patents. Due to the principle of super-activated biological extraction at room temperature, the technical problem that garlic products can not effectively extract active substances and preserve their biological activities for a long time is solved.
Eight, how much is effective?
Although there are so many research reports that garlic is beneficial to the human body, all substances should be taken in moderation, which is helpful to the body, while excessive consumption will be harmful to the body. On the contrary, the research report points out that long-term use will destroy red blood cells and cause anemia. Volume 26 of Compendium of Materia Medica points out that long-term use will damage the liver and eyes, so enough is enough. In lowering cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular diseases, it is the most standard to take capsules containing allicin about 12000mcg every day, and take them half an hour after meals. According to clinical experiments, after taking this dose for half a year, the total blood cholesterol can be reduced by 12% on average. If you are a healthy person and want to take garlic products as skin care products, you might as well take 8000~ 12000mcg every day, which can not only prevent cardiovascular diseases, but also make blood circulation smoother and your body fresher.