Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen. As many as 25 to 30 people carry staph bacteria in their nose, but they have no effects of infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Methicillin-resistant staph aureus, often shortened to MRSA, is a less common infection and one more difficult to treat, since it doesn't respond to commonly used antibiotics. Only 2 percent of people carry MRSA in the nostrils. Methicillin-resistant staph aureus often causes skin infections that can become severe and difficult to treat. Allicin, an ingredient in garlic, may help treat MRSA infections. Ask your doctor before treating a MRSA infection with allicin on your own.
Definition
Garlic contains alliin, an odorless compound that converts to allicin, the ingredient the gives garlic its characteristic smell when the garlic bulb is crushed. Allicin isn't well absorbed by the human body, so aging it helps break down allicin into water-soluble sulfur compounds that you body can absorb more easily.
Actions
Allicin has antimicrobial properties against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria; and antifungal properties, particularly against Candidia albicans and antiparasitic properties, according to a February 1999 article published in "Microbes and Infection" by Israeli researchers from Weizmann Institute of Science. Methicillin-resistant staph aureus is a Gram-positive microbe.
Studies
A study conducted by researchers from the University of East London School of Health and Bioscience and published in the 2004 "British Journal of Biomedical Science" showed that an aqueous extract of allicin killed all clinical isolates of different strains of MRSA at a concentration of 256 micrograms per milliliter.
Uses
Allicin is an unstable compound, meaning that it degrades quickly. Stable forms of allicin that you can apply to wounds that carry the bacteria or use as hand cleansers may help reduce the transmission of the bacteria from person to person, especially in the hospital setting. Studies on the benefits of allicin are limited; more research in its benefits may help establish proper use and dosages. Washing your hands frequently is the best way to avoid spreading the bacteria or becoming infected with it.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: MRSA
- "Microbes and Infection"; Antimicrobial Properties of Allicin from Garlic; S. Ankri, et al.; February 1999
- "British Journal of Biomedical Science"; Antibacterial Activity of a New, Stable, Aqueous Extract of Allicin Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus; R. Cutler, et al.; 2004
- University of Illinois Extension; Garlic; Jennifer Schultz Nelson; October 2010
- Univeristy of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic; Steven Ehrlich; November 2008
