Allicin
See also : Garlic, Chives, Onion
Special Precautions of Allicin
Allicin and its oil-soluble metabolites are largely responsible for garlic’s odor. Allicin is unstable and breaks down further to ajoene, vinyldithiins, and sulfides including diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS), and diallyl trisulfide (DATS) Since allicin only exists in fresh garlic, it’s not always the easiest substance to obtain in supplement form. The problem with the allicin that’s produced, though, is that it only remains stable for a very short time before converting into other substances. In other words, to really take advantage of allicin specifically, one would have to eat large amounts of freshly-cut garlic within about 30 minutes of when it was cut in order to obtain substantial amounts of the substance suitable for therapeutic use.
The good news is that technologies exist to stabilize allicin for longer periods of time. This allows its use in advanced therapies where having to cut large amounts of fresh garlic and eat it quickly simply isn’t efficient or feasible. Dr. Buttar has seen firsthand how specific extraction methodologies that result in “exponentially higher than previously attainable stabilized allicin content” have helped cancer patients find real relief − even those patients with late-stage progression of the disease.
The best way to obtain allicin in supplement form is to seek out a garlic extract that contains an optimized ratio of both alliin and alliinase, allowing for the precise conversion of alliin to allicin in the lower digestive tract. Enteric-coated garlic supplements that contain these two ingredients in the proper amounts will completely bypass stomach acid, which degrades their integrity. This allows for the maximized release of highly-potent allicin directly into the body.
Health Benefits and Uses of Allicin
- Allicin in garlic has been proven to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious benefits.
- Allicin is also linked to reduced levels of “bad” cholesterol in the body and improved heart health.
- Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) : garlic is rich in antioxidant allicin, which helps in lowering down the cholesterol level of the body, a substance that contributes largely to the development of stroke.
- Reduce blood pressure : Angiotensin II is a protein that helps our blood vessels contract thereby increasing the blood pressure. Allicin in garlic blocks the activity of angiotensin II and helps in reducing blood pressure. The polysulphides present in garlic are converted into a gas called hydrogen sulphide by the red blood cells. Hydrogen sulphide dilates our blood vessels and helps control blood pressure.
- Stress : triggers your body to produce hydrogen sulfide. The combo creates an internal reaction that relaxes blood vessels and encourages blood flow. Translation: garlic is good for your heart and your head and helps manage stress.
- Detox : The sulfur compounds in garlic - the most well known is Allicin - promote the body's detoxifying activities.
- Toothache : crushing the cloves of Garlic to release its allicin content and applying it directly on the affected tooth can help relieve the pain and treat the condition. Allicin is a compound with a strong antibiotic property with no known side effects. It helps in killing and inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria in the mouth and it reduces the inflammation. Eating garlic can also be a great way of harnessing its antibacterial properties.
- Cancer :
- Allicin (from garlic) induces caspase-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells.
- Allicin purified from fresh garlic cloves induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells via Nrf2.
- Allicin inhibits the invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells by altering tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase/matrix metalloproteinase balance via reducing the activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT signaling.
