Garlic is one of the world's most well-known and widely used herbs. It has been used as a culinary spice for at least 5,000 years, and has been mentioned in both the Bible and the Talmud. Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, was one of the first people to realize the medicinal properties of garlic and recommended it for many conditions, including parasites and poor digestion.
The active ingredient in garlic is allicin, a sulfur-based compound that when crushed or chewed produces other compounds. Scientific studies suggest garlic supports the cardiovascular system by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood and reducing the stickiness of platelets.
Test-tube studies show that garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties; human studies show that garlic reduces the risk of several cancers, particularly those of the esophagus, stomach and colon.
While garlic has not been used as long in traditional Chinese medicine
(it is believed to have first been used in China in the early part of
the sixth century), it has become a staple of TCM. It is used to treat
a wide range of diseases, including high blood pressure, athlete's foot,
infections and ulcers.
Most clinical trials of garlic have used between 600-900 milligrams per day, divided into two or three amounts. An amount of this size delivers approximately 5,000-6,000 micrograms of allicin. Aged-garlic extract studies have used 2.4-7.2 grams per day.
Garlic is available in more forms than most other herbal medicines. In addition to fresh garlic, which can be obtained from a typical supermarket, there are garlic extracts, tablets, capsules, tinctures, powders and sprays.
Some companies sell odorless garlic tablets.Some people are sensitive to garlic and may experience heartburn and flatulence after eating large amounts. Because garlic acts as an anticoagulant, people taking blood-thinning medications or people scheduled for surgery should inform their health care provider before taking garlic supplements.
Garlic appears to be safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.References
Over my almost 30 years in clinical practice, I have used Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Tang extensively for a wide array of clinical presentations ranging from chronic headaches to anxiety, insomnia, and prescription drug withdrawal symptoms if these situations fit the appropriate patterns – all with extremely positive clinical outcomes.
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