Antimicrobial effect of garlic (Allium sativum) and traditional medicine

Abstract

Medicinal plants like pumpkin seed, thyme, onion, nigella sativa, lemon balm, stinging nettle are used extensively today. One of these plants used most intensively and widespread is garlic. In this context, fresh shape, powder state and oil of garlic have been used all around the world especially in Far East for centuries. In conclusion it is observed that the information transferred between generations and studies made scientifically that garlic is effectively used in cardiovascular diseases as regulator of blood pressure and with dropper effects of it on glycaemia and cholesterol, against bacterial, viral, mycosis and parasitic infections. It's also known that garlic is a wonderful plant having the properties of empowering immune system, anti-tumour and antioxidant. Garlic shows its this effect thanks to >200 components it involves. Garlic includes to >200 components such as volatile oils (allicin, alliin and ajoene) consisting of sulphur, enzymes (alliinase, peroxidase and miracynase), carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose), minerals (germanium, selenium, zinc), amino acids like cysteine, glutamine, isoleucine and methionine, bioflavonoids like quercetin and cyanidin and allistatin I and allistatin II, C, E and A vitamins and niacin, B-1,B- B-2 vitamins and beta carotene. In this study, it will be given a summary about properties of garlic and its areas of use against bacterial diseases.