Herbal swiss army knife: multitasking with garlic. (wellness).

The herb formerly known as "the stinking rose" has more health benefits than a Swiss army knife has implements.

Once thought to fend off vampires--a topic that has managed to avoid medical scrutiny--garlic (Allium sativum) is now known to help protect against heart disease, bacterial and fungal infections and possibly certain forms of cancer.

Garlic is approved for use by the Commission E, Germany's regulatory agency for herbs, as a supportive measure in the dietary management of high cholesterol, prevention of atherosclerosis, arterial vascular disease and for the prevention of age-related circulatory changes. In fact, it may actually reduce atherosclerotic buildup known as plaque.

plaque attack

According to a large double-blind study presented in the May 1999 edition of Atherosclerosis, garlic supplementation reduced plaque buildup in people with both atherosclerosis and one other cardiovascular risk factor--such as smoking, elevated levels of "bad" cholesterol or high blood pressure. The 152 men and women in this group were given 900 milligrams (mg) of standardized garlic powder daily for four years, resulting in a 2.4 percent reduction in plaque volume, compared to a 15.6 percent increase in the placebo group.

Moreover, a study released last May by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, indicated that subjects who ingested aged garlic extract showed less plaque formation than subjects taking a placebo, and tended to show lower levels of homocysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid that may be associated with heart disease.

Frequently including garlic and other allium vegetables--scallions, shallots, onions, chives and leeks--in your diet may help to lower the odds of getting certain cancers, and preliminary findings suggest particular constituents in garlic show promise in enhancing chemotherapy for those who have cancer. According to a 2000 report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), population-based studies have linked the frequent consumption of garlic and allium vegetables to a decreased incidence of laryngeal, gastric, colorectal and endometrial cancer, as well as colorectal polyps.