Many different herbs contain substances that have the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of different microbes, including fungi. Garlic contains substances that can be converted to make allicin, a chemical that has some antifungal compounds in vitro. Although garlic can be safely taken to try to fight fungi, it should not be used as a substitute for conventional medical treatments.
Garlic's Properties
Garlic's antifungal properties come from a substance known as alliin. Garlic bulbs contain between 6 and 14 mg of alliin per gram of garlic, a 2005 article in the journal "Mycoses" notes. This odorless substance does not have any antifungal properties on its own, but when garlic bulbs are crushed, alliin mixes with a protein known as alliinase, converting the alliin into another substance known as allicin. Allicin is responsible for the characteristic odor of garlic and also has antifungal properties.
Allicin Mechanism
Allicin and some of the compounds formed when the human body breaks down this substance appear to have a common mechanism of action when it comes to inhibiting fungal growth. According to the "Mycoses" article, allicin and its derivatives contain sulfide molecules that are able to interact with portions of proteins that also contain sulfur. As a result, allicin and its related chemicals can disrupt the function of certain proteins that are essential for fungi to grow.
Effectiveness
The antifungal properties of garlic have been mainly characterized in vitro. As a 1999 article in "Microbes and Infection" notes, a garlic extract that contained 34 percent allicin is able to kill different strains of the fungi Cryptococcus neoformans. Garlic also has been shown to either kill or inhibit the growth of other species of fungi, including members of the Candida, Microsporum, Tricophyton and Epidermophyton groups of fungi.
Considerations
Although garlic can kill fungi in vitro, its effects in humans needs to be better characterized. Taking garlic might help boost your immune system and prevent some kinds of infections, but you should not use it as a substitute for conventional medical treatments or the care of a doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking garlic supplements, as it can cause some side effects and might also interfere with the activity of certain medications.
References
- "Mycoses"; "An overview of the antifungal properties of allicin and its breakdown products -- the possibility of a safe and effective antifungal prophylactic"; Davis Stephen; 2005.
- "Microbes and Infection"; "Antimicrobial properties of allicin from garlic"; Ankri and Mirelman; 1999.
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
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