Importance of Garlic and its Medical Properties

Importance of garlic can be analyzed by the fact that no north Indian kitchen is said to be complete if it does not contain garlic or lahsun commonly used in Indian language. It is a well-known herb known for centuries, which has been used in variety of food preparations and medicines. It has a very peculiar odor due to presence of sulphur rich chemical that can easily be distinguished.

Garlic known as Allium sativum in biological terms, is used since centuries by ayurvedic doctors for its diverse applications. It’s an herb that attains a height of 1-2 foot. Its bulb, the part used, which consist of small sections called cloves. It is generally white to pinkish in appearance covered by scaly membrane.

Garlic is an ushan virya herb i.e. the herb with hot potency. It contains five rasa (except amal) that are supposed to play major pharmalogical role that this herb possess. Due to ushan virya property, it is highly recommended in the illness caused by vata disorders. Also due to presence of katu rasa it is also highly recommended in kapha disorders thereby plays an important role in diseases caused by vata and kapha disorders.

It finds its application in diseases like:

· High cholesterol, due to presence of katu rasa and ushan virya properties
· Heart related problems, as it possess vata suppressant properties
· Blood clotting, due to its penetrating nature it does not let blood to clot
· Indigestion, as it is helps in secretions of digestive enzymes
· Pain reliever, due to presence of ushan virya properties which are vata suppressant
· Increasing hepatic functions by helping liver in producing bile that is very essential for good digestion.
· Works as natural antibiotic by curbing bacterial infection and its growth.
· Helps in reducing infections on open and bleeding wounds and also promotes healing.
· Helps in nervous disorders live paralysis as it suppresses vata, which is the main cause of nervine disorders.
· It also helps in improving sexual health. And works as aphrodisiac.
· It works as rasayan that is the substance, which helps in getting good health with long life.
· It has been used since ages as natural dewormer in children.
· It has also proved its worth in improving eyesight.
· New researches have shown that garlic can be very beneficial to cancer patients as it inhibits growth of cancerous cell.