Garlic is a member of the allium family, along with onions, shallots and leeks. This pungent and versatile bulb provides distinct flavoring for cooking and is recognized for a variety of health-promoting benefits, including those related to antibiotic effects. Research has also shown benefits of garlic for treatment of yeast infections, in some cases.
Similar to Drugs
Garlic extract kills Candida in doses similar to those of modern antifungal drugs, says Stephen Fulder, M.D., author of the book "User's Guide to Garlic: Learn How This Remarkable Food Can Reduce Your Risk of heart Disease and Cancer." Blood samples taken from people after they consume garlic have been shown to kill Candida directly. Garlic has also been used successfully to stop other fungal infections, such as ringworm, when applied externally to affected areas.
Delivery System
Researchers at Aligarh Muslim University, India, report development of an effective delivery system for the garlic derivitive diallyl sulfide in the treatment of Candida infection. The garlic supplement was prepared using niosomes -- a type of lipid-based micro-sphere emulsion that is able to penetrate skin and is used for delivery of drugs. The garlic extract niosomes significantly reduced fungal growth and was safe, with not toxic effects observed, in the laboratory animal study. Researchers concluded that niosomes enhanced the antifungal effects of garlic. The study was published in the October 2009 issue of the journal "Nanomedicine."
Ddiallyldisulphide
The garlic compound diallyldisulphide, D.A.D.S., disabled antioxidant systems in Candida, causing oxidative stress and damage to the yeast, in a study conducted at the Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. All antioxidant enzymes except one were decreased by treatment with D.A.D.S., in the cell culture study. Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione were inhibited in Candida. However, levels of the antioxidant enzyme catalase increased in response to treatment with D.A.D.S.. Researchers concluded that diallyldisulphide acts as an antifungal against Candida by promoting oxidative damage in the yeast. The study was published in the October 2010 issue of the "Canadian Journal of Microbiology."
Combination Therapy
Drug-resistant Candida respond well to a combination therapy of antifungal drugs together with garlic, say researchers of a study published in the April 2010 issue of the journal "Mycopathologia." Researchers used allicin, an active component of garlic, and the antifungal drugs fluconazole and ketoconazole. While allicin showed antifungal effectiveness by itself against six species of Candida, when tested with the antfungal drugs a synergistic effect was observed in three of the Candida species. Researchers called for human clinical trials to confirm their preliminary results. The study was conducted at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
References
- "Mycopathologia"; In Vitro Investigation of Antifungal Activity of Allicin Alone and in Combination with Azoles Against Candida Species; A. Khodavandi, et al.; April 2010
- "Canadian Journal of Mycrobiology"; Effect of Diallyldisulphide on an Antioxidant Enzyme System in Candida Species; S. Yousuf, et al.; October 2010
- Dictionay.Sensagent.com: Niosomes
- "Nanomedecine"; Efficacy of Niosomal Formulation of Diallyl Sulfide Against Experimental Candidiasis in Swiss Albino Mice; M. Alam, et al.; October 2009
- "User's Guide to Garlic: Learn How This Remarkable Food Can Reduce Your Risk ... "; Stephen Fulder, Ph.D.; 2010
