Best known for the intense flavor given to food, garlic is also widely used as an herbal medicine. Garlic and garlic extracts are directly toxic to many micro-organisms, including many types of fungi that cause skin infections like ringworm. As with any health supplement, consult a qualified health-care provider before attempting to use garlic to treat ringworm.
Garlic and Ringworm
Despite the name, ringworm is a general label given to fungal infections of the skin. Several species of fungi can cause ringworm infections, including Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton rubrum or Trichophyton mentagrophytes, according to New York University Langone Medical Center. Garlic extracts can kill up to 90 percent of fungal species that are associated with ringworm, reports a study published in the April 1995 issue of the "International Journal of Dermatology."
Mechanism of Action
Scientists do not fully understand the exact mechanism through which garlic kills fungus, although some of the mechanism has been elucidated. Garlic extracts can disrupt the metabolism of fungi by inhibiting the activity of several important metabolic enzymes, including protease, phenoloxidase, amylase and cellulase, according to an article published in 2000 in the journal "Mycopathologia."
Components of Garlic
One of the main active chemicals in garlic is called allicin. When garlic bulbs are crushed, allicin is released and likely transforms into volatile compounds that oxidize the critical metabolic enzymes fungi and slow growth, according to the "Mycopathologia" article. One of the possible derivatives of allicin that may be responsible for the anti-fungal activity is ajoene, which often forms when allicin is dissolved in oils.
Skin Creams
Directly rubbing crushed garlic on your skin is likely to irritate the skin and perhaps cause a rash. A better way to treat fungal infection may be to use skin creams made from garlic extracts. A gel made with 0.6 percent ajoene is often effective in killing ringworm infections, according to Medline Plus. When ringworm infects the foot, the infection is usually called athlete's foot, which may require treatment with a stronger gel containing up to 1 percent ajoene. Creams containing 1 percent ajoene may be as effective as other commercially available anti-fungal creams, according to Medline Plus.
References
- Medline Plus; Garlic; December 2010
- New York University Langone Medical Center; Garlic; February 2011
- "Mycopathologia"; Effect of Garlic Bulb Extract on the Growth and Enzymatic Activities of Rhizosphere and Rhizoplane Fungi; Tawfik M. Muhsin; 2000
- "International Journal of Dermatology"; Antidermatophytic Activity of Garlic (Allium Sativum) in Vitro; P.V. Venugopal; April 1995
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Antimicrobial Effects of Allium Sativum L. (Garlic), Allium Ampeloprasum L. (Elephant Garlic), and Allium Cepa L. (Onion), Garlic Compounds and Commercial Garlic Supplement Products; G. Bronwyn et al.; January 2006
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