Fungal infections caused by species of fungi belonging to the Candida family can cause significant health problems, particularly with people who have compromised immune systems, such as HIV/AIDS patients and elderly adults. Garlic and garlic extracts have potent antifungal properties and might provide an effective treatment for Candida infections. As with any health supplement, consult a medical professional before attempting to treat an infection with garlic supplements.
Toxic to Candida
Garlic has been used for thousands of years to treat bacterial and fungal infections, and modern research has been finding evidence supporting the effectiveness of garlic for this use. Extracts made from fresh garlic can effectively slow the growth of Candida albicans, one common species of fungi belonging to the Candida family, according to a study published in the August 2002 issue of the "Journal of Applied Microbiology." Fresh garlic extracts were slightly more effective than fresh-dried garlic powder in this study.
Chemicals in Garlic
Garlic contains a complex mixture of chemicals that can attack fungi. One of the most well-studied chemicals is called allicin, which is toxic to Candida albicans, reports a study published in 2005 in the journal "Microbiology." However, allicin often rapidly breaks down once garlic is crushed and ingested, leading to many similarly structured derivative chemicals that also have antifungal activity, such as allyl alcohol. Many of these allicin derivatives have also demonstrated toxicity against fungi.
Mechanism of Action
The exact mechanism through which garlic kills Candida fungi is not well understood. Treatment with garlic leads to large alterations in the shape of fungal cells, and also appears to cause high levels of oxidative stress, which might interfere with the respiration of fungal cells, the paper in "Microbiology" explains. The many different chemicals within garlic extracts likely lead to numerous effects on Candida, possibly decreasing the ability of the fungi to develop resistance to garlic extracts.
Use of Garlic
Most of the studies of garlic have involved directly applying garlic extracts to fungi. Because Candida infections typically occur within body cavities, and not actually within the body, it is not currently known if ingestion of oral garlic supplements will kill Candida infections in body cavities, the "Microbiology" study reports. Directly applying creams or gels containing garlic extracts to infected areas might be a more effective treatment.
References
- "Journal of Applied Microbiology"; "Garlic (Allium Sativum) as an anti-Candida Agent: a Comparison of the Efficacy of Fresh Garlic and Freeze-Dried Extracts"; K.M. Lemar et al; August 2002
- "Microbiology"; Allyl Alcohol and Garlic (Allium Sativum) Extract Produce Oxidative Stress in Candida Albicans; K.M. Lemar et al; October 2005
- MedlinePlus: Garlic
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
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