Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as the time that the Giza pyramids were built. The medicinal use of garlic dates to at least 3000 B.C., when Egyptian pyramid- builders ate it to prevent illness. Hippocrates used garlic to treat infections, intestinal disorders and chest pain.
Garlic and its preparations have long been recognized to possess antiinflammatory properties . In the modern era, during World War II, the Soviet army used garlic to prevent infections after it had run out of antibiotics, so garlic was called “Russian Penicilin
Recently scientists from Department of Pathology II, Kansai Medical University discovered that Garlic and garlic-derived compounds reduce the development of mammary cancer in animals and suppress the growth of human breast cancer cells in culture. Oil-soluble compounds derived from garlic are more effective than water-soluble compounds in suppressing breast cancer. Selenium-enriched garlic or organoselenium compounds provide more potent protection against mammary carcinogenesis in rats and greater inhibition of breast cancer cells in culture than natural garlic or the respective organosulfur analogues. Thus, garlic and garlic-derived compounds are promising candidates for breast cancer control.
CULINARY USE
Raw garlic is more potent; cooking garlic reduces the effect. The green dry 'folds' in the center of the garlic clove are especially pungent
Tsubura A, Lai YC, Kuwata M, Uehara N, Yoshizawa K. Anticancer Effects of Garlic and Garlic-derived Compounds for Breast Cancer Control. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2011 Jan 26.
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