An Amazing Herb: Garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum) has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows considerably with cooking. Garlic cloves are rich in medicinal properties. It is used in abdominal pain, high blood pressure, amenorrhea, colic problems, diarrhea, whooping cough, diabetes, eye infections, catarrh, menstruation problem, asthma, dandruff, abortion, tuberculosis, earache, vomiting, fever and intestinal parasites. It is an aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, diuretic, anti-rheumatic, revulsive, corn-killer, vermifuge. Decoction of garlic cloves with honey is given to aid expulsion of the placenta. For medicinal purposes Garlic is mostly used raw since cooking diminishes its potency.

Indigenous Formulations:

Hoarseness

Macerate Garlic in honey for 40 days. A spoonful of this mixture every day clears hoarseness and loss of voice in cases of laryngitis and throat infections.

Lactation

Prepare a garlic extract by crushing a clove of Garlic clove in a pestle and mortar. Mix with water and filter. Garlic extract (2 ml) if given everyday for one month acts as a galactogogue. It increases milk productivity and regular flow of milk in lactating mothers.

Ear-ache

Crush Garlic and mix it with Coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil and boil it. Allow to cool down and store. Pouring 2 to 3 drops in ears alleviates ear ache.

For severe ear-ache 3 drops of garlic clove oil (pressed from raw garlic) can be applied.

Scorpion bites

In cases of Scorpion (black) bites Garlic cloves are crushed in a mortar with a pinch of salt and applied topically.

Anti-asthmatic

Prepare a garlic juice by crushing the cloves in a pestle and mortar and mix with 100ml of water. A teaspoon of this juice taken twice a day for 3 months is said to be very effective in Asthma.

Diabetes/ metabolic syndrome

The crushed bulb, mixed with luke warm water and taken early in the morning, helps in controlling blood sugar levels. According to the healers, Garlic has antidiabetic effects. If it is consumed regularly for a couple of months, it certainly helps in lowering the fasting sugar.

Anthelmintic

Approx. 20 drops of Garlic juice can be mixed in cold milk and given to expel worms.

Skin afflictions

Garlic cloves, crushed and fried in Mustard (Brassica campestris) oil can be applied to boils, itches and other skin problems. It cures ring worm.

Migraine

Daily application of Garlic juice (5ml) and water (20ml) is used as a nosedrop (2-4 drops) to treat migraines.

Joint pain

Garlic cloves (8-10 nos.) are fried in ghee (clarified butter) and taken before meals to alleviate joint pain.

Note: Information provided in the article is for information purposes. As the practices mentioned herewith are not clinically proven, it is therefore advised to take an opinion from family physician before applying any formulation.

Reference:

Acharya, D. and Shrivastava, A. 2008. Indigenous Herbal Medicines: Tribal Formulations and Traditional Herbal Practices. Aavishkar Publishers Distributors, Jaipur. ISBN 978-81-7910-252-7.